Marine Conservation Institute is currently accepting nominations for the 2026 Blue Park Awards. Nominations received by 1 September 2025 will be reviewed for the 2026 Blue Park Awards, but nominations will be prioritized in the order that they are received. Marine Conservation Institute kindly asks that you submit your nomination as soon as possible!
To nominate a marine protected area for a Blue Park Award, download this nomination form, fill it in, and email it as an attachment to [email protected].
What is the Blue Park Standard?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that meet the Blue Park Standard for effectively conserving biologically significant areas earn Blue Park Awards, which come with international recognition and a cash prize. Learn more about the Blue Park Award criteria.
Blue Park Awards celebrate the outstanding conservation work of communities, managers, governments and NGOs safeguarding marine biodiversity with well-designed, strongly protected and effectively managed MPAs. From the smallest community conservation area to the largest reserve, from the tropical seas to the polar oceans, all implemented MPAs can be nominated for Blue Park Awards and join the movement to safeguard life in the sea.
After an MPA is nominated for a Blue Park Award, our team produces an evaluation report that is shared on this website for expert comment prior to the award decision made by the Science Council. Our team works with Blue Parks managers, communities, visitors and investors to further promote and support these important places.
The nomination survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete, if you have already compiled the relevant documents and information. Please see the list of documents that should be submitted with your nomination below. Have a question? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Submission details:
We ask you to submit the following documents, if available, with your nomination:
- Descriptions of ecosystems, biodiversity, endangered and endemic species and oceanography (official descriptions, maps, monitoring reports, scientific papers, etc.)
- All available geospatial data (MPA boundaries, regulatory zones, ecosystem distributions, etc.) as maps in image files or as GIS
- Current MPA management plan and monitoring plan
- Documentation of MPA regulations, enforcement plans, enforcement reports
- Annual budget (if you have access to this)
