Celebrating our Marine Protected Areas in an ocean of ways!

1 August, 2025 - Marine Protected Areas, Conservation, Foundation, Events, Blog

Today, 1 August, we are celebrating the fifth annual Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day! This special day marks a celebration of our ocean’s most critical conservation spaces. Much like our terrestrial national parks, MPAs are sanctuaries where marine life can thrive, breed, and flourish undisturbed – they are vital not just for biodiversity, but also for our future wellbeing.

To spotlight the importance of these underwater reserves, ocean-focused organisations around the world are hosting a myriad of inspiring and educational events. From beach cleanups and rock pooling to snorkelling and expert seminars, there’s something for everyone to dive into this MPA Day – especially right on our doorstop in Cape Town.

What are MPAs?

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are just how they sound – they’re the “nature reserves of the sea”. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), MPAs are clearly defined spaces that are recognised, dedicated, and managed to achieve long-term conservation of the ocean.

South Africa has 42 incredible and diverse MPAs that protect our marine environment and provide healthy ocean spaces for our remarkable marine wildlife. These spaces cover 5% of our national coastal waters; this may seem a small number, but before 2016, just 0.43% was protected.

Our national MPAs have been selected to protect unique habitats, preserve intact bioregions that have not been severely affected by human activity, and provide crucial “safe spaces” for commercially important fish species to recover. Scattered along the coast of South Africa, these MPAs range from an underwater canyon longer and deeper than the Grand Canyon to an ancient, fossilised yellowwood forest and a 30m tall cold-water coral reef.

Not only are MPAs protectors of biodiversity, but they also directly impact human lives by creating jobs and recreational opportunities, preserving cultural heritage, and allowing for species rejuvenation. MPA Day is celebrated to help us collectively appreciate the value of MPAs and how they benefit both us and the incredible marine biodiversity they are designed to protect.

How are they being celebrated?

For this year’s MPA Day, the ocean-loving community in the Western Cape is spoilt for choice. MPA Day celebrations are being held all over the coast, from Cape Town and Dyer Island to Gansbaai and Plettenberg Bay. The Two Oceans Aquarium and its Foundation have plenty of activities where locals can get involved.

Starting with sounds of the sea: Listeners can tune in to Cape Talk’s “Lunch with Pippa Hudson” on 1 August from 13h00 to 15h00. Pippa will be broadcasting live from the I&J Ocean Exhibit and covering all things MPA. She’ll feature Aquarium staff to understand the importance of MPAs in protecting the oceans’ biodiversity and learn about the ocean conservation work the Two Oceans Aquarium and its partners do in ocean protection.

On the evening of 1 August, we will be screening “Wild Coast Warriors”, an inspiring documentary that looks at coastal communities and conservationists fighting to protect the pristine waters of the Wild Coast. After the screening, filmmaker Nick Chevallier will join Mark Fitzgibbon (Cape RADD) and Helen Lockhart (Two Oceans Aquarium) for a Q&A session.

The MPA Day festivities don’t stop there – on Saturday, 2 August, the Two Oceans Aquarium is hosting a Rocky Shore Explore at Dalebrook Tidal Pool. This family-focused event is a fascinating opportunity for all participants to adventure through rockpools and discover the incredible natural diversity of the shoreline right on our doorstep. Our Ocean Campus educators will be on hand to help you identify species, as well as offer some exciting interactive activities for kids and adults alike.

Every action matters. Whether you're tuning in to a radio broadcast, attending a film screening, or exploring rockpools with the little ones, you're playing a part in honouring and protecting South Africa’s incredible Marine Protected Areas.

Let’s continue to celebrate, learn about, and safeguard these vital ocean spaces – not just on MPA Day, but every day.