A marine protected area (MPA) is a protected area that includes primarily marine environment and biodiversity.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines a protected area as:

"A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values."^[1][2]

This definition is intended to make it more difficult to claim MPA status for regions where exploitation of marine resources occurs. If there is no defined long-term goal for conservation and ecological recovery and extraction of marine resources occurs, a region is not a marine protected area.^[2]

As of June 2019 there are 14,830 marine protected areas with a total area of 27,495,595 km² (10,616,109 sq mi) representing 7.59% of the ocean.^[3]

Africa

Mozambique

• Bazaruto National Park – Marine and terrestrial protected area in the Bazaruto Archipelago in MozambiquePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets, 1971, 1,600 km² (620 sq mi)^[4]

South Africa

The listed MPAs were individually proclaimed. Some were later consolidated with adjacent MPAs and may not still be generally referred to by the original name.

• Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 1,200 km² (460 sq mi)
• Agulhas Bank Complex Marine Protected Area – Offshore marine conservation area south of Cape Agulhas in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 4,300 km² (1,700 sq mi)
• Agulhas Front Marine Protected Area – Offshore marine conservation area off the Eastern Cape in South Africa's EEZ, (2019),^[5] 6,200 km² (2,400 sq mi)
• Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area offshore of the Western Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 207 km² (80 sq mi)
• Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area at Aliwal Shoal off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, (2004),^[6] 670 km² (260 sq mi)
• Aliwal Shoal Offshore Marine Protected Area – 2019 extension to the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area, (2019),^[5] integrated with Aliwal Shoal MPA
• Amathole Offshore Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 400 km² (150 sq mi)
• Benguela Muds Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the Western Cape province of South Africa, (2019),^[5] 72 km² (28 sq mi)
• Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Western Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 20.14 km² (7.78 sq mi)
• Bird Island Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2004),^[6]
• Browns Bank Corals Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area on the continental slope of South Africa, (2019),^[5] 399 km² (154 sq mi)
• Cape Canyon Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the Western Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 580 km² (220 sq mi)
• Castle Rock Marine Protected Area, previously known as the Millers Point Marine Reserve, now part of Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area (2000)^[6]
• Childs Bank Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the west coast of South Africa, (2019),^[5] 1,335 km² (515 sq mi)
• De Hoop Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area on the coast of South Africa, (2000),^[6] 288.9 km² (111.5 sq mi)
• Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area – Coastal marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, (2000),^[6] 199 km² (77 sq mi)
• Goukamma Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area the Western Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 32 km² (12 sq mi)
• Helderberg Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Western Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 24.6 km² (9.5 sq mi)
• Hluleka Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 40.86 km² (15.78 sq mi)
• iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in northern kwaZulu-Natal in South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) 443 km² (171 sq mi)
• iSimangaliso Offshore Marine Protected Area – Large 2019 extension to the iSimangaliso marine protected area, (2019),^[5] 10,700 km² (4,100 sq mi)
• Jutten Island Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area (in region) in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 1.11 km² (0.43 sq mi)
• Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Langebaan lagoon in the Western Cape province of South Africa, (2000),^[6] 280 km² (110 sq mi)
• Malgas Island Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area on the west coast in the Western Cape province in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 0.66 km² (0.25 sq mi)
• Maputaland Marine Protected Area – Marine protected area (MPA) along the Indian Ocean coastline of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, (2000),^[6] 384.54 km² (148.47 sq mi)
• Marcus Island Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Western Cape in South Africa, (Western Cape)^[6] 0.26 km² (0.10 sq mi)
• Namaqua Fossil Forest Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the northwest cost of the Northern Cape province of South Africa, (2019),^[5] 1,200 km² (460 sq mi)
• Namaqua National Park Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in Namaqualand in the Northern Cape, in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 500 km² (190 sq mi)
• Orange Shelf Edge Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the Northern Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 2,000 km² (770 sq mi)
• Pondoland Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, (2004),^[6] 1,380 km² (530 sq mi)
• Port Elizabeth Corals Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 270 km² (100 sq mi)
• Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the waters of the Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, (2013),^[6] 181,229.46 km² (69,973.09 sq mi)
• Protea Banks Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the coastal waters of southern kwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 1,200 km² (460 sq mi)
• Robben Island Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 580 km² (220 sq mi)
• Robberg Marine Protected Area – Conservation area at the Robberg peninsula in South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets, (2000),^[6] 42 km² (16 sq mi)
• Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 12.91 km² (4.98 sq mi)
• Sixteen Mile Beach Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area the Western Cape in South Africa, (2000),^[6] 106.91 km² (41.28 sq mi)
• Southeast Atlantic Seamounts Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the South Atlantic in the South African EEZ, (2019),^[5] 6,000 km² (2,300 sq mi)
• Southwest Indian Seamounts Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area south of Stilbaai in the Western Cape in South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets, (2019),^[5] 7,500 km² (2,900 sq mi)
• Stilbaai Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area in the Western Cape in South Africa, (2008),^[6] 20 km² (7.7 sq mi)
• Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area around the Cape Peninsula in South Africa, (2004),^[6] 953.25 km² (368.05 sq mi)
• Trafalgar Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area (in region) in South Africa, (2000),^[6] .29 km² (0.11 sq mi)
• Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area on the south coast of South Africa, (2000),^[6] 186 km² (72 sq mi)
• uThukela Banks Marine Protected Area – Marine conservation area off the coast of kwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, (2019),^[5] 5,666 km² (2,188 sq mi)
• Walker Bay Whale Sanctuary – Marine conservation area in the Western Cape province in South Africa, (2001, seasonal),^[6] 112.49 km² (43.43 sq mi)

Antarctica

• Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area, 2,060,058 km² (795,393 sq mi)^[7]

Asia

Thailand

• Ao Phang Nga National Park – Marine protected area in southern Thailand, 1981, 400 km² (150 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[8]
• Hat Chao Mai National Park – Marine protected area in Trang Province, Thailand, 1981, 230.86 km² (89.14 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[9]
• Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park – marine protected area in Krabi Province, ThailandPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback, 1983, 37.9 km² (14.6 sq mi), IUCN Category II.^[10]
• Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park – Marine protected area of Thailand, 1981, 131 km² (51 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[11]
• Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park – Marine national park in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand, 1966, 98.08 km² (37.87 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[12]
• Laem Son National Park – National park in Thailand, 1983, 315 km² (122 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[13]
• Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park – Marine protected area in Surat Thani Province of Thailand, 1980, 102 km² (39 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[14]
• Mu Ko Chang National Park – National park of Thailand, 1982, 650 km² (250 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[15]
• Mu Ko Lanta National Park – Marine protected area in the southern part of Krabi Province, Thailand, 1990, 134 km² (52 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[16]
• Mu Ko Phetra National Park – Marine protected area in the Strait of Malacca off Thailand, 1984, 494.38 km² (190.88 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[17]
• Similan Islands – Marine protected area in Phang Nga Province, southern Thailand, 1982, 114 km² (44 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[18]
• Surin Islands – Marine protected archipelago in Andaman Sea, Thailand, 1981, 141.25 km² (54.54 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[19]
• Tarutao National Park – Marine protected area off the coast of Satun Province, Thailand, 1976, 1,490 km² (580 sq mi). IUCN Category II.^[20]

Australia

• Coral Sea Marine Park – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government, (2012), 995,251 km² (384,269 sq mi)^[7]
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – protected area of Queensland, AustraliaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
• Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government, 71,200 km² (27,500 sq mi)
• North Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • Arafura Marine Park – marine protected areaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
  • Arnhem Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North Marine Parks network
  • Gulf of Carpentaria Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Gulf of Carpentaria, offshore of Queensland, (2018), 23,771 km² (9,178 sq mi),IUCN category VI
  • Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North Marine Parks network
  • Limmen Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North Marine Parks network
  • Oceanic Shoals Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of the Northern Territory, near Darwin, (2018), 71,743 km² (27,700 sq mi) ,IUCN category VI
  • West Cape York Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of Queensland, 16,012 km² (6,182 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Wessel Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North Marine Parks network
• North-west Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park – Australian marine park north-west of Broome, Western Australia, (2018), 146,003 km² (56,372 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Ashmore Reef Marine Park – Protected marine park in Australia, (1983), 146,003 km² (56,372 sq mi), IUCN category Ia.
  • Carnarvon Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-West Network, Western Australia
  • Cartier Island Marine Park – Protected marine park in Australia (2000) 172 km² (66 sq mi), IUCN category Ia
  • Dampier Marine Park – Australian marine park north-east of Karratha, Western Australia, (2018), 1,252 m² (13,480 sq ft), IUCN category VI
  • Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
  • Gascoyne Marine Park – Australian marine park west of the Cape Range Peninsula, Western Australia, (2018), 81,766 km² (31,570 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Kimberley Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of Western Australia, near the Kimberley region, (2018), 74,469 km² (28,753 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Mermaid Reef Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Rowley Shoals north-west of Broome, Western Australia, (1991), 540 km² (210 sq mi), IUCN category II
  • Montebello Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
  • Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) – Australian marine park west of the Ningaloo Coast of Western Australia, (1987), 2,435 km² (940 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Roebuck Marine Park – Australian marine park in the North-west Marine Parks network
  • Shark Bay Marine Park – Marine protected area in Western Australia
• Temperate East Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • Central Eastern Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore from the edge of the continental shelf off New South Wales, (2018), 70,054 km² (27,048 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Cod Grounds Marine Park – Australian marine park off Laurieton, New South Wales, (2007), 4 km² (1.5 sq mi), UCN category II
  • Gifford Marine Park – Australian marine protection areaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
  • Hunter Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Temperate East Marine Parks network
  • Jervis Marine Park – Australian marine park in the Temperate East Marine Parks network
  • Lord Howe Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of New South Wales, near Lord Howe Island, (2018), 110,126 km² (42,520 sq mi),IUCN category IV
  • Norfolk Marine Park – Australian marine park offshore of Norfolk Island, (2018), 188,444 km² (72,759 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Solitary Islands Marine Park – Marine protected area in New South Wales, Australia
• South-east Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • Apollo Marine Park – Marine park in Australia in Bass Strait off the coast of Victoria, (2007), 2,928 km² (1,131 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area in the Bass Strai off Victoria, (2007), 2,928 km² (1,131 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Boags Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area in Bass Strait off north-west Tasmania, (2007), 537 km² (207 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • East Gippsland Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protexted area near the New South Wales-Victoria border, (2007), 4,137 km² (1,597 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area off north-east Tasmania, (2007), 27,043 km² (10,441 sq mi), IUCN category II
  • Franklin Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area off north-west Tasmania, (2007), 671 km² (259 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area off the east coast of Tasmania., (2007), 57,942 km² (22,372 sq mi) , IUCN category II
  • Huon Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area south of Hobart, Tasmania, (2007), 9,991 km² (3,858 sq mi) , IUCN category VI
  • Macquarie Island Marine Park – Australian Marine Park near Macquarie Island in the southwest Pacific, (1999), 162,000 km² (63,000 sq mi), IUCN category IV
  • Murray Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area off the coast of South Australia, (2007), 25,803 km² (9,963 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Nelson Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area near the South Australia-Victoria border, (2007), 6,123 km² (2,364 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • South Tasman Rise Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Marine protected area south of Tasmania, (2007), 27,704 km² (10,697 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area off south-west Tasmania, (2007), 42,502 km² (16,410 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Zeehan Commonwealth Marine Reserve – Australian marine protected area west of Tasmania, (2007), 19,897 km² (7,682 sq mi), IUCN category VI
• South-west Network – Marine protected areas managed by the Australian government
  • Abrolhos Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • Bremer Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia, (2013), 4,472 km² (1,727 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Eastern Recherche Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia
  • Geographe Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • Great Australian Bight Marine Park – Marine protected area in the Great Australian Bight off South Australia, (2012), 45,926 km² (17,732 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Jurien Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • Murat Marine Park – protected area in AustraliaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback, (2012), 937.77 km² (362.08 sq mi), IUCN category II
  • Perth Canyon Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • South-west Corner Marine Park – Marine protected area off Western Australia, (2013), 271,833 km² (104,955 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park – Marine protected area south of Kangaroo Island in South Australia, (2012), 629.93 km² (243.22 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Twilight Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • Two Rocks Marine Park – Australian marine park in the South-west Marine Parks network
  • Western Eyre Marine Park – Marine protected area in the Great Australian Bight, off South Australia, (2012), 57,946 km² (22,373 sq mi), IUCN category VI
  • Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park – Marine protected area south-west of Kangaroo Island in Australia, (2012), 2,335.31 km² (901.67 sq mi), IUCN category VI

Europe

Finland

• Metsäkuohu, (2018), 0.08 km² (0.031 sq mi)^[21]
• Tervapesä, (2018), 0.07 km² (0.027 sq mi)^[21]

Sweden

• Småbodarna, (2018), 0.11 km² (0.042 sq mi)^[21]
• Långstrandberget, (2018), 0.74 km² (0.29 sq mi)^[21]
• Björkbergsbacken, (2018), 0.14 km² (0.054 sq mi)^[21]
• Höksberget, (2018), 0.56 km² (0.22 sq mi)^[21]

United Kingdom

• Port Erin Bay MNR, Isle of Man, (2018), 4.34 km² (1.68 sq mi)^[21]

UK Overseas Territories^[22]

• Ascension Island, South Atlantic
• Pitcairn Islands, South Pacific Ocean
• St Helena, South Atlantic
• South Orkneys, British Antarctic Territory
• South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, Southern Atlantic
• Tristan da Cunha, Southern Atlantic^[23]

North America

Canada

United States

• List of U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries
• List of marine protected areas of California
• Cabrillo State Marine Reserve, (2010), .38 sq mi (0.98 km²)
• Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas, Gulf, (2002), 866,717 km² (334,641 sq mi)^[7]
• Pacific Remote Islands, (2009), 1,277,860.0 km² (493,384.5 sq mi), IUCN Category V^[24]

Oceania

Cook Islands

• Marae Moana – Marine protected area in the Cook Islands, (2017), 1,981,965 km² (765,241 sq mi),^[7] IUCN Category VI.^[25]

New Zealand

• Poor Knights Islands – Group of islands and marine reserve off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, 1981, 19.22 km² (7.42 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[26]
• Cape Rodney-Okakari Point, 1975, 5.56 km² (2.15 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[27]
• Moutere Hauriri / Bounty Islands, 2014, 1,046.33 km² (403.99 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[28]
• Moutere Mahue / Antipodes Island, 2014, 2,173.1 km² (839.0 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[29]
• Tawharanui – peninsula and wildlife refuge in New ZealandPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback, 2011, 3.94 km² (1.52 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[30]
• Tuhua (Mayor Island), 1992, 10.55 km² (4.07 sq mi), IUCN Category Ia.^[31]

South America

Chile

• Islas Diego Ramírez y Paso Drake, (2019), 1,443.91 km² (557.50 sq mi)^[21]
• Humedales Costeros de la Bahía Tongoy, (2018), 2.59 km² (1.00 sq mi)^[21]

Ecuador

• Galápagos Islands – Ecuadorean archipelago and protected area, 1998, 126,972.09 km² (49,024.20 sq mi)^[32]

Grenada

• Grande Anse, (2018), 17.83 km² (6.88 sq mi)^[21]

Areas beyond national jurisdiction

• Charlie-Gibbs North High Seas MPA, 2012, 178,651.0 km² (68,977.5 sq mi)^[33]
• MAR North of the Azores High Seas MPA, 2010, 93,572.46 km² (36,128.53 sq mi)^[34]

To be integrated

• Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres australes françaises, (2017) 1,654,999 km² (638,999 sq mi)^[7]
• Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument – Protected region of ocean and islands, (2006), 1,516,557 km² (585,546 sq mi)^[7]
• Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail, (2014), 1,291,643 km² (498,706 sq mi)^[7]
• Pacific Remote Islands, (2009) 1,277,784 km² (493,355 sq mi)^[7]
• South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area, (2012), 1,069,872 km² (413,080 sq mi)^[7]
• Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve, (2016), 839,568 km² (324,159 sq mi)^[7]