What Is a Marine Protected Area—and Why It Matters
Discover what an MPA is, how it benefits marine life and coastal communities, and why divers and local initiatives play a key role in expanding and maintaining them.
PRESERVING OUR GREAT LAKES AND OCEANS
What Is a Marine Protected Area—and Why It Matters
What Exactly Is an MPA?
A marine protected area is a clearly defined ocean or lake region, managed legally to conserve marine life and habitats over the long term. MPAs range from strict no-take reserves to multiple-use zones that allow controlled activities like diving or recreation.
In the U.S., some MPAs cover parts of the Great Lakes as well. Globally, MPAs span from tropical reefs to abyssal zones. As of the early 2020s, approximately 8 percent of the ocean is under some level of protection.
The Benefits of Strong Protection
Well-managed MPAs help reefs and fisheries recover faster, increase biodiversity, and build resilience to climate change. They also preserve nurseries, help recharge fish stocks, and support coastal economies through sustainable tourism.
Bigger, older, no-fishing zones show the strongest recovery—studies show that MPAs over 100 km² and enforced for more than a decade yield the greatest results.
MPAs and Divers: A Special Partnership
Divers can help MPAs thrive by participating in citizen science, monitoring reef health, and spotting illegal activity. PADI’s “Adopt the Blue™” program works with local dive centers to identify sites with conservation importance and connect them to communities and policymakers.
Community-led MPAs—like those in the Philippines maintained by volunteer sea patrols—have demonstrated major progress, even without robust government support.
Examples of Effective MPAs
California's MPA Network covers nearly 16 percent of state waters and has boosted local fish populations and eco-tourism, although an additional 2 percent expansion is under review.
Raja Ampat in Indonesia protected manta ray and reef habitats starting in 2007. By 2012 it became Southeast Asia’s first shark and ray sanctuary. Populations of reef manta rays grew from 210 to over 500 in several years.
Chagos Marine Protected Area in the Indian Ocean covers over 640,000 km² and protects deep reefs and endangered fish species.
Phoenix Islands Protected Area (Kiribati) is one of the world’s largest MPAs at approximately 408,000 km². It safeguards intact coral reefs, seamounts, and biodiversity hotspots.
Why MPAs Matter for Resilience & Climate
MPAs help buffer ecosystems against warming waters, ocean acidification, and habitat destruction. Healthy habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds also sequester “blue carbon,” supporting climate change mitigation.
What You Can Do to Support and Expand MPAs
Join citizen science or monitoring programs in MPA areas—your dive observations matter.
Ask your dive center to participate in Adopt the Blue™ or connect with local conservation groups.
Support enforcement and community-managed sanctuaries, such as volunteer patrols in biodiversity hotspots.
Promote networked MPAs—especially corridors that protect migratory species like sharks, turtles, and whales.
Choose operators that uphold best practices, including no‑take zones and reef-safe diving protocols.
Happy and safe diving,
The ScubaBlast Team
Encyclopædia Britannica. (2025, June 11). Marine protected area. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/marine-protected-area
National Geographic Education. (n.d.). What are Marine Protected Areas and why they matter. Retrieved from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/marine-protected-area
Coral Reef Alliance. (n.d.). What is a marine protected area (MPA)? Retrieved from https://coral.org/
Pew Charitable Trusts. (2018, October). The case for marine protected areas. Retrieved from https://www.pew.org/fact-sheets/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). Marine Protected Areas. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ecosystems/mpa/
PADI AWARE Foundation. (2022). Divers play a key role in expanding MPAs through Adopt the Blue™. Retrieved from https://blog.padi.com/divers-role-in-expanding-mpas/
The Guardian. (2024, March 5). Volunteer sea patrols protecting marine sanctuaries in Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024
AP News. (2023, Sept 23). Quagga mussels threaten wreck diving sites in the Great Lakes. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/
Reddit user post. (2023, Jan 18). Ray population surges in Indonesian MPAs. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/conservation/comments/10ex8cp