USGS · 70283255
Highly mobile seabirds reveal areas of conservation importance across the Atlantic Ocean
Abstract
Countries have committed to expanding the marine protected area (MPA) network to 30% of the world's ocean by 2030, more than tripling current coverage, and focusing on areas important for biodiversity. For such expansion to translate into effective conservation of marine biodiversity, it must rely on the best available knowledge. Here, we analyze tracking data on > 13,000 individuals (44 species, eight families) to map the distribution of highly mobile seabirds in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas throughout the year. We identify regions important year-round or seasonally. The High Seas are as important as national waters for highly mobile seabirds but are even less protected. Current Atlantic MPAs hold < 14% of tracked species density, but their expansion to 30% of the ocean could protect up to two thirds. We share this new knowledge layer to support national and international efforts and policies to strategically expand the Atlantic MPA network.
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Marie-Morgane Rouyer, Ana S.L. Rodrigues, Tammy E. Davies, Bethany L. Clark, Elizabeth J. Pearmin, Nina Bhola, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Jacob Gonzalez-Solis, João L. Guilherme, Aida Abdennadher, Isabel Afán, Jose A. Alves, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, José Manuel Arcos, Kelly M. Atkins, Marie Auger-Méthé, Mark Baran, Nadito Jesus Barbosa, Alastair Baylis, Stuart Bearhop, Ashley Bennison, Alice Bernard, Philip Bertrand, Manuel Biscoito, Thomas W. Bodey, Maria I. Bogdanova, Loïc Bollache, Anne-Sophie Bonnet-Lebrun, Thierry Boulinier, Vegard Sandøy Bråthen, Joel Bried, Leandro Bugoni, Letizia Campioni, Paulo Catry, Jacopo G. Cecere, Filipe Rafael Ceia, Olivier Chastel, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Marco Cianchetti-Benedetti, Thomas A. Clay, Ian Robert Cleasby, Sydney Morgan Collins, Nicolas Courbin, Jóhannis Danielsen, Francis Daunt, Herculano A. Dinis, Federico De Pascalis, Nina Dehnhard, Giacomo Dell’Omo, Sébastien Descamps, Antony W. Diamond, Ben J. Dilley, Ewan William Edwards, Carsten Egevang, Kyle H. Elliot, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Alexey Ezhov, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Annette L. Fayet, David A. Fifield, Ruben Fijn, Manuela G. Forero, Jérôme Fort, Morten Frederiksen, Robert W. Furness, Giorgia Gaibani, Stefan Garthe, Maria Gavrilo, H. Grant Gilchrist, Olivier Gilg, Carina Gjerdrum, Jose Pedro Granadeiro, W. James Grecian, Jonathan A. Green, David Grémillet, Tim Guilford, Keith C. Hamer, Erpur Snaer Hansen, Sveinn Are Hanssen, Stephanie M. Harris, Autumn-Lynne Harrison, April Hedd, Marcos Hernández-Montero, Nicholas P. Huffeldt, Simona Imperio, Dariusz Jakubas, Ruth Jeavons, Mark Jessopp, Patrick G.R. Jodice, Kasper Lambert Johansen, Georgios Karris, Yann Kolbeinsson, Stephen W. Kress, Lucas Kruger, Ulrike Kubetzki, Jude V. Lane, Johannes Lang, Jannie Fries Linnebjerg, Svein-Håkon Lorentsen, Donald E. Lyons. 2026-09-16. Highly mobile seabirds reveal areas of conservation importance across the Atlantic Ocean. https://doi.org/10.1111/con4.70075
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