Alex Pujadas Reflects on 2025 Ocean Protection Ambassador Campaign
This blog post was authored by Alex Pujadas, a 2025 EarthEcho Ocean Protection Ambassador.
As part of the EarthEcho International Ocean Protection Ambassador Program, Alex Pujadas led a primarily digital advocacy campaign focused on exposing the lack of effective protection in large parts of Europe’s Marine Protected Areas, particularly within the Natura 2000 network. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about bottom trawling, its continued presence inside supposedly protected waters, and the widespread issue of “paper parks”, Marine Protected Areas that exist legally but fail to provide real environmental protection.
The core action of the campaign was the creation of a public petition on Change.org, calling for the effective management and enforcement of marine protection within Natura 2000 sites. This petition served as the main mobilization tool and was actively promoted across digital platforms and in-person outreach activities.
Social media played a key role in the campaign’s outreach strategy. Alex used Instagram to share educational content, including two dedicated posts explaining what bottom trawling is and how the Natura 2000 network works, making these complex topics accessible to a general audience. These posts were designed to inform, raise awareness, and encourage people to support and sign the petition.
In addition to digital outreach, the campaign included direct engagement during three Reefing Project trips, where Alex explained the issue of bottom trawling and ineffective marine protection to participants in person. Across these trips, involving more than 34 participants, attendees were encouraged to learn about the issue and sign the petition, strengthening the link between ocean experiences and conservation action.
The main output of the campaign was the creation of a documentary, now publicly available on YouTube, in which Alex explains in first person what bottom trawling is, how Marine Protected Areas and Natura 2000 sites function, and why many of these areas qualify as “paper parks.” Through personal narration, visual storytelling, and real examples, the documentary highlights the gap between declared protection and on-the-ground reality in European seas. As part of the media outreach, Alex also participated in a podcast focused on ocean conservation and marine policy, which will be released in January.
“Being part of the EarthEcho Ocean Protection Ambassador Program gave me the tools, confidence, and platform to turn concern for the ocean into meaningful action. The program helped me transform complex issues like bottom trawling and ‘paper parks’ into accessible stories that people could understand, care about, and act on.” - Alex Pujadas