BirdLife International has presented a proposal to create a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) under OSPAR, the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. If accepted by OSPAR, the MPA will be the first of its kind to be identified using seabird data as the principle data source, and will fill an important gap in the global network of protected areas.
BirdLife International worked in collaboration with marine scientists around the Atlantic, with additional guidance from German BirdLife Partner NABU (Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union), to identify the proposed MPA, named Evlanov Seamount and Basin High Seas. If accepted, this site, which falls outside the jurisdiction of any country, will offer protection to one the most important sites for seabirds in the high seas of the North-East Atlantic.
OSPAR is the mechanism by which 15 governments and the European Union cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. The 15 governments are: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
The aim of the Evlanov Seamount and Basin High Seas MPA is to protect an area of the North Atlantic that is not only vital for many seabird species, but also for other marine megafauna such as tunas, sharks, whales and sea-turtles, by maintaining the natural richness and resilience of this pelagic ecosystem.
Bruna Campos, EU Marine and Fisheries Policy Officer:
“The scientific analysis clearly shows that this area is extremely important for seabirds. Governments need to now step up their game and decide whether we want to protect the marine environment or waste it away
in political filibusters.”
Marguerite Tarzia, European Marine Conservation Officer:
“We worked with more than 60 marine scientists to make this proposal a reality and we are confident that the extensive research and collaboration has ensured the rigorous scientific analysis that we are putting
forward.”
Ana Carneiro, Marine Technical Officer at BirdLife International:
“We estimate that more than two million seabirds use the area every year, including some long distance migrants such as the Arctic Tern and the threatened Atlantic Puffin.”
The proposed MPA will now be examined by OSPAR
Source: BirdLife