The United States-based Marine Conservation Institute (MCI) bestowed the gold-level Blue Park Award to Shark Fin Bay marine protected area network (MPAN) for its exceptional marine biodiversity conservation at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France on 12 June.

The award adds Shark Fin Bay MPAN to a growing network of 34 awarded Blue Parks around the global ocean that have met the highest science-based standards for conservation effectiveness, MCI said.

Dr. Lance Morgan, president of MCI, announced the 2025 Blue Parks at an event it co-hosted with the Republic of Costa Rica, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, MigraMar, EarthEcho International and The Blue Quest.

Sulubaai Environmental Foundation, which co-manages the Shark Fin Bay MPAN with local communities, received the award on behalf of the Shark Fin Bay MPAN Council and the local government of Taytay in Palawan.

“Our Blue Park Award fits in perfectly with our commitment, and we will never give up for the ocean. With our Blue Park Award and our community, we want to be the first NGO to reach the 30×30 target in our bay in the Philippines,” said Fred Tardieu, president and founder of Sulubaai.

Located in the northeast of Palawan Province, the Shark Fin Bay MPAN includes five community-led MPAs that protect tropical coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves within the semi-enclosed, shallow Shark Fin Bay. The network provides a vital refuge for a variety of threatened and endangered reef fish, sea turtles and reef sharks.

Shark Fin Bay MPAN is a model of community leadership. Sulubaai established the first MPA, Pangatalan Island MPA, in 2016; after witnessing the revitalization of the island and surrounding waters, the local coastal and island barangays (villages) championed the creation of an entire MPAN in partnership with Sulubaai through the Sea Academy Project.

The Shark Fin Bay MPAN Management Council includes representatives from each barangay, including stakeholders from the local community governments, fisherfolk associations and schoolteachers.

In addition to ecological conservation, restoration, and monitoring, the management authority also prioritizes the well-being of the community and has developed a variety of alternative livelihood projects and community outreach activities. Sulubaai and the local communities are continuing to work together to expand the network in the coming years.