New Marine Protected Areas Recognized for Outstanding Conservation

Marine Conservation Institute announced that Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge (Estaçao Ecológica Tupinambás e Refúgio de Vida Silvestre do Arquipélago de Alcatrazes) won the prestigious gold-level Blue Park Award for exceptional marine wildlife conservation at the 5th International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC5). Representatives from the Blue Parks Science Council, an international council of marine conservation experts that determines which marine protected areas meet the award criteria, and President of Marine Conservation Institute, Dr. Lance Morgan, presented the award to Kelen Luciana Leite, Head of Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge. Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge will receive US $8,000 and join a growing network of 27 awarded Blue Parks around the global ocean that have met the highest science-based standards for conservation effectiveness.

“The Refúgio de Alcatrazes is one of the youngest marine protected areas in Brazil. Being recognized as a Blue Park alongside the main marine areas in the world is a great honor for us and motivates us to continue facing the challenges of conserving biodiversity and maintaining marine ecosystem services, so essential for the quality of life on the planet. For the team, advisors, researchers, volunteers and partners who have engaged in the protection of Alcatrazes, this recognition values the effort of each one and shows us that when we dream together we are unbeatable. We remain hopeful that our units will be more and more effective, managed based on scientific knowledge, and in partnership with the local society, because every time we do our part, nature responds and invigorates itself,” expressed Leite.

Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge, located between five and 40 km off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil, protects over 700 km2 of tropical, shallow coral reefs, rocky shores, endemic island species, nesting areas, and deep-sea areas around the Alcatrazes Archipelago. The MPAs are some of the most nearly pristine areas in Brazil and has become a unique reference site for scientific studies and monitoring. Located at the confluence of two oceanic currents, the waters of Alcatrazes are nutrient rich and contain a rich diversity of both cold- and warm-water species, including a variety of rare and unique corals. The islands and waters surrounding Alcatrazes Archipelago are important breeding grounds for many elasmobranches and seabirds, as well as important foraging area for endangered sea turtles, migratory birds, and cetaceans.

“Congratulations to the 2023 Blue Parks,” said Dr. Lance Morgan, President of Marine Conservation Institute. “These MPAs offer protection to critical marine ecosystems, revitalize ocean health, and benefit the livelihoods and well-being of local communities. We hope other governments and communities look at these outstanding Blue Parks as examples of strong and effective commitments to ocean protection that they could also pursue.”

While Tupinambás Ecological Station has existed since 1987, Alcatrazes Archipelago National Wildlife Refuge wasn’t designated until 2016 after decades of scientific research and public campaigns to protect the Archipelago’s ecosystems, reconciling environmental conservation with national interests and opening the areas to low-impact tourism. Today, both the wildlife refuge and ecological station are managed jointly by Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio). An advisory council made up of representatives of relevant sectors of civil society participate in the development and implementation of the MPAs’ management plan and other activities.

Leo Francini, a member of the advisory council for Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge said, “As a council member, I understand that Alcatrazes becoming a Blue Park means that not only is the environmental agency and the team that manages the place having their efforts recognized, but that we, representatives of society within the council, are also going in the right way, within a participatory process with wonderful results for local conservation.”

The Blue Park Awards are supported by Blue, the Blue Endowment Fund. The Blue Park Award recognizes outstanding efforts by national governments, nonprofit organizations, MPA managers, and local communities to effectively protect marine ecosystems now and for the future. The award has been given annually since its launch in 2017. The 2023 Blue Parks join the Blue Parks Network, made up of some of the world’s most outstanding marine protected areas and ocean champions.

Tupinambás Ecological Station and Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge are the second awarded Blue Park in Brazil – Abrolhos Marine National Park (Parque Nacional Marinho Dos Abrolhos) earned a Blue Park Award in 2020. To date, Blue Parks cover nearly 3 million square kilometers of ocean, spanning 22 countries. Marine Conservation Institute’s rigorous science- based criteria and an international panel of esteemed marine scientists are key to vetting and ensuring that these MPAs provide examples of the most effective marine life conservation. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, recently adopted at the UN Biodiversity Conference, includes a target aiming to protect 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030 (‘30×30’), and the Blue Parks initiative aims to ensure that as more marine protected areas are created, they effectively contribute to biodiversity conservation.

“Blue Park Awards recognize MPAs that effectively contribute to international ocean conservation targets,” says Dr. Sarah Hameed, Senior Scientist and Director of the Blue Parks Program. “Blue Parks ensures that we not only meet area-based targets by accelerating MPA designations, but that the protection put in place truly safeguards marine biodiversity. We’rethrilled to welcome three new MPAs to the Blue Parks Network.”

About Blue Parks

Blue Park Awards were established by Marine Conservation Institute to encourage high quality marine protected areas (MPAs) that safeguard marine wildlife, secure critical habitats, promote resilience, and ensure the inspiring beauty of our oceans for future generations. The effort aims to assemble an effective network that sustains marine life and ecosystems globally. Currently, there are 27 marine protected areas that have earned Blue Park Awards.

In addition to awarding new Blue Parks, Marine Conservation Institute has launched collaborations — Blue Sparks — with groups planning new marine protected areas and upgrading existing marine protected areas in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Mozambique to ensure their efforts result in future Blue Parks.

About Marine Conservation Institute

Marine Conservation Institute, founded in 1996, works in the U.S. and globally to seek strong protection for at least 30% of the ocean by 2030—for us and future generations. Our focus on protecting the ocean’s most important places follows several lines of work: identifying and advocating for strong marine protected areas; improving laws and other tools to better conserve marine biodiversity; catalyzing effective conservation by recognizing and elevating the best marine protected areas as Blue Parks; and accurately reporting on global conservation efforts with our Marine Protection Atlas (MPAtlas.org).

About Blue Endowment Fund

Blue is a non-profit endowment fund aiming at building a better future through project grants, equity investments and initiative incubation. Blue provides financial grants for effective, efficient and sustainable projects to strengthen resilient marine ecosystems, and sponsors the Blue Park Awards.

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