Bigger and better celebrations mark Marine Protected Areas Day
A 33km beach walk enabled participants to walk the full length of Aliwal Shoal.
Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day is a South African initiative that has become one of the world’s fastest-growing ocean conservation movements.
This year, the event (held annually on August 1) has been the biggest celebration yet. This comes after MPA Day was officially endorsed as a United Nations Ocean Decade Activity. This celebration of MPAs plays a vital role in protecting the ocean and ultimately the planet.
“Last year we hoped for 50 activities to celebrate MPA Day – over 100 activities took place around the world,” said Dr Judy Mann-Lang, MPA Day founder.
“This year I secretly hoped that we would reach the same number. I was thrilled to see that in 2026 we had even more celebrations, and we know that more are still to come!”
South Africa led the celebrations with activities taking place across many of the country’s MPAs.
In KZN on the South Coast, Wild Alliance Africa and the Aliwal Shoal Hope Spot hosted a 33km beach walk, guided scuba dives, snorkelling excursions, citizen science activities, and a screening of the Mission Blue documentary centred around Aliwal Shoal MPA.
The Aliwal Shoal Hope Spot is part of Mission Blue (founded by Dr Sylvia Earle). This protected reef supports rich marine life and is championed locally through conservation, research and community programmes led by Wild Alliance Africa.
The beach walk enabled participants to walk the full length of the Aliwal Shoal MPA.
Mann-Lang said the success of MPA Day extends far beyond a single day on the calendar.
“We want MPA Day to inspire a global movement that continues throughout the year. Whether you reduce plastic pollution, support sustainable seafood, volunteer at a beach clean-up, educate others, contribute to research or spend time appreciating the ocean – every action matters. If each of us commits to doing something positive for our ocean between now and next year’s MPA Day, together we can create lasting change for future generations,” she said.
She thanks all who organised an activity, as well as all who participated this year – locally and internationally.
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