01/08/2026
This Marine Protected Areas Day, it's worth remembering that protection isn't only about what happens beneath the surface. It's also about our relationship with the sea.
Marine Protected Areas safeguard extraordinary ecosystems, giving fish populations, kelp forests, seabirds and countless other species the space to recover and thrive. They are among the most effective tools we have for conserving marine biodiversity and building resilience in a changing climate.
But protection also begins with connection.
Every child who peers into a rockpool for the first time, every swimmer who slips beneath the surface of a tidal pool, every diver, fisher, surfer or walker who discovers wonder along our coastline becomes a little more invested in the future of our oceans.
Healthy oceans need healthy ecosystems—but they also need people who care deeply enough to defend them.
On Marine Protected Areas Day, let's celebrate the places where nature is given the chance to flourish, and recommit ourselves to ensuring that future generations inherit oceans that are abundant, resilient and alive.
Photos by https://www.instagram.com/joannerichardsauthor/
