Marine Protected Areas Day: Gorgona National Natural Park, Colombia

1 August is Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day, dedicated to raising awareness about MPAs and their vital role in marine environment conservation, sustainable development, and the well-being of communities. 

In 2025, the Gorgona National Natural Park, located off the Pacific coast of Colombia, was one of four MPAs to receive the Blue Park Award, granted by the Marine Conservation Institute to recognise areas demonstrating effective conservation of marine biodiversity. The park encompasses the waters surrounding Gorgona and Gorgonilla Islands and hosts the most diverse coral reef ecosystem in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from 14 July 2025 shows the Gorgona National Natural Park (whose boundaries are highlighted in light green), as well as the surrounding area, including the Colombian coast, which features extensive mangrove ecosystems along the shoreline.

The Copernicus Sentinel satellites and services, particularly the Copernicus Marine Service, provide a wealth of data essential for monitoring the Earth's oceans. This information is key to the design and implementation of sustainable marine policies.