Photo Credit: Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona
| September 25, 2025
Imagine an effective marine protected area (MPA): an ocean sanctuary alive with biodiversity, supporting thriving ecosystems, and recognized with a prestigious Blue Park Award. But what happens after this milestone of conservation excellence? Oceans are dynamic, pressures are constant, and conditions change — so how do we ensure these places continue to deliver on their promise? That’s where the Blue Parks five-year review process comes in, verifying that award-winning MPAs remain effective over time and continue contributing to lasting conservation outcomes.
A Deep Dive into the Review
Effective MPA management is an ongoing process that requires sustained effort and adaptation to address changing circumstances. Our five-year review process ensures that Blue Parks sustain the Blue Park Standard over time and continue to adapt management to address emerging threats and conservation goals. To maintain its award status, each Blue Park undergoes a comprehensive review after five years. This process is like a thorough health checkup. More than just a cursory examination, the process involves a deep dive into the essence of what makes a Blue Park exemplary. Carefully developed, the five-year review aims to keep a finger on the pulse of the MPA’s management, biodiversity outcomes, and socioeconomic contexts, verifying that the MPA continues to meet the Blue Park Standard.
Like the ocean itself, our review process comprises many dynamic layers. The Blue Parks initiative is rooted in the Blue Park Standard. This Standard was developed based on the extensive scientific literature of MPA effectiveness with the contributions of over 100 marine scientists from around the world through a series of workshops and focus groups. The Blue Parks Science Council, comprised of over 30 leading marine conservation experts, has played a particularly significant role in reviewing the Standard and keeping it up-to-date.
As the review commences, our team of marine conservation experts systematically compiles comprehensive information about any changes to the Blue Park’s management over the past five years. This involves a scientific literature review, a deep dive into all updated management and compliance strategies, and interviews of managers. Just as we do during Blue Park Award evaluations, we synthesize a wide variety of MPA documentation, including enforcement records, budgets, management plans, monitoring reports, and any other updates since the initial evaluation. This new information is summarized in an addendum to the original Evaluation Report, painting a vivid picture of the MPA’s journey since first earning the Blue Park designation.
Riding the Waves of Change: What happens when a Blue Park changes over time?
Through the review process, we may observe Blue Parks grappling with new challenges or achieving remarkable improvements. Recognizing the dynamic nature of both human and marine environments, our five-year review process is designed to respond to change.
When notable changes are identified through the review process, the completed reports are shared with the Blue Parks Science Council. The Council reviews the report and supporting documentation, and they may choose to update their award decision. This ensures that each Blue Park's status accurately reflects its current performance and alignment with the Blue Park Standard.
Based on the gathered information and Science Council consensus, a Blue Park may experience one of three outcomes:
- Maintaining their Blue Park Status: Many Blue Parks continue to thrive and meet our high standards, demonstrating their dedication to long-term, effective conservation and MPA management.
- Blue Park Level Upgrade: Blue Parks that demonstrate exceptional improvements and meet more of the criteria that comprise the Blue Park Standard may be eligible for an upgrade in their award status (e.g. advancing from the silver level to gold).
- Facing Challenges: Changes are inevitable: budgets fluctuate, enforcement can be a challenge, and management plan objectives may prove difficult to achieve. If an MPA is struggling to continue meeting the Blue Park Standard, we offer our collaboration to help bring the MPA back on track. We may downgrade their status (e.g., from the gold level to silver) or offer them Blue Spark status while we work with the managers to secure capacity and implement the improvements needed to succeed.
The Impact and Importance of our enduring Blue Parks
Our five-year review process maintains the integrity of the initiative by ensuring that Blue Parks represent the Blue Park Standard and provide models for marine conservation excellence. Holding Blue Parks accountable through regular, thorough evaluations creates a ripple effect: as MPAs maintain effective implementation, we see improvements in ecosystem vitality, which in turn supports local economies and communities.