South Africa recently had the privilege of hosting prominent fisheries scientist Professor Ray Hilborn from Washington University who stimulated lively discussion on global stock status, food production, impacts of trawling on the seabed, fisheries management and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Professor Hilborn gave a seminar billed as 'Fisheries Myths' on 25 August 2016 and the following day participated in a formal debate at the Two Oceans Aquarium on South Africa's MPA expansion strategy and the need for additional MPAs. The debate was held between Professors Ray Hilborn and Doug Butterworth (Marine Resource and Assessment Management Group, Applied Mathematics Department, University of Cape Town) speaking against the strategy and expansion, and Dr Jean Harris (Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and Pew Fellow) and Professor Colin Attwood (Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town) speaking in favour of additional MPAs. The debate examined the need for MPA expansion; the effect of MPAs on fisheries; and the role of MPAs in fisheries management, food security and biodiversity protection; and interrogated targets to increase ocean protection.