Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
South Pacific Whale Sanctuary(proposed)
South AtlanticWhale Sanctuary
(proposed)
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
IndianOceanWhale
Sanctuary
Denmark
Ireland
Iceland
Svalbard
Greenland
Canada
United States
United States(Alaska)
Russia
Japan
DPRKorea
ROKoreaChina
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Malaysia
Singapore
Indonesia
Timor-Leste
Papua NewGuinea
Australia
NewZealand
Palau
SolomonIslands
Vanuatu
NewCaledonia
Fiji
Tonga
Samoa AmericanSamoa
Niue
Cook Islands
FrenchPolynesia
Pitcairn Islands
Easter Island
Wallis &Futuna
Tuvalu
Nauru
Federated Statesof Micronesia
Guam
NorthernMarianaIslands
WakeIsland
MarshallIslands
Northwestern HawaiianIslands
JohnstonAtoll
Kingman ReefPalmyra Atoll
Howland IslandBaker Island
Jarvis Island
Kiribati
Tokelau
United States (Hawaii)
Brunei
Philippines
Thailand
Cambodia
Laos
Vietnam
UnitedKingdom
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Kaliningrad(Russia)
Belarus
Poland
CzechRepublic
SwitzerlandAustria
SloveniaCroatia
Bosnia &Herzegovina Serbia
BulgariaKosovo
AlbaniaMacedonia
Greece
Turkey
Moldova
Ukraine
Georgia
Syria
Lebanon
Cyprus
Israel
West Bank& Gaza Jordan
Saudi Arabia
India
SriLanka
Maldives
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Iran
Iraq
Bahrain
Kuwait
Qatar
United ArabEmirates
Oman
Yemen
NepalBhutan
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Bermuda
Bahamas
Cuba
Jamaica
HaitiPuertoRico
DominicanRepublic
Turks &Caicos
Montenegro
Slovakia
Hungary
Romania
Russia
Netherlands
Belgium Germany
France
Spain
Morocco
WesternSahara
Mauritania
Cape Verde
CanaryIslands
Azores
Madeira
Senegal
The Gambia
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
SierraLeone
Liberia
AlgeriaTunisia
Libya
Egypt
Portugal
Italy
Malta
México
Belize
Guatemala
Honduras
Nicaragua
CostaRica
Colombia
Venezuela
Guyana
SurinameFrenchGuiana
Brazil
Ecuador
Trinidad & Tobago
Grenada
Barbados
St LuciaSt Vincent &
the Grenadines
MartiniqueDominica
GuadeloupeSt Kitts& Nevis
Antigua &Barbuda
Sint Maarten
VirginIslands
ElSalvador
Côted’Ivoire Ghana
Mali
BurkinaFaso
Togo
Benin
Nigeria
Cameroon
Central AfricanRepublic
Chad
Sudan
Eritrea
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania
Madagascar
Mauritius
Comoros
Mayotte
Seychelles
Niger
EquatorialGuinea
GabonCongoSão Tomé
& Príncipe
AscensionIsland
St Helena
Democratic Republicof the Congo
Angola
Namibia
SouthAfrica Lesotho
Swaziland
Botswana
Zimbabwe
Zambia
Mozambique
Malawi
Burundi
Rwanda
Uganda
Perú
Bolivia
ParaguayChile
Uruguay
Argentina
Falkland Islands(Islas Malvinas)
Tristan da Cunha
La Réunion
ArmeniaAzerbaijan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan
China
Mongolia
Mongolia
Panamá
Curaçao
Aruba
nozamA
sudnI
segnaG
artupamharB
Ayeyarwady
Mahakam
eztgnaY
Meko
ng
ocoinrO
North EastAtlantic
5
Baltic6
Mediterraneanand Black Seas
3
Wider Caribbean7
South Atlantic9
West Africa8
East Africa12
Arabian Seas11
Central Indian Ocean10
North WestAtlantic
4
Arctic2
South East Pacific17
North East Pacific15
North West Pacific16
Arctic2
Antarctic1
Antarctic1
North and South Pacific14
Australia-New Zealand18
Australia-New Zealand18
East Asian Seas13
East Asian Seas13
Pelagos Sanctuaryfor MediterraneanMarine Mammals
SouthwestCrete-HellenicTrench MPA
Alborán Sea MPA& SPAMI
Saya de MalhaBanks MPA
MayotteMarine
Natural ParkPrimeiras & SegundasReserve/National Park
Charlie GibbsFracture ZoneOSPAR MPA
Milne SeamountOSPAR MPA Mid-Atlantic Ridge
North of the AzoresOSPAR MPA
Josephine SeamountOSPAR MPA
Southeast Shoal ofthe Grand Bank
The Gully MPA
Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen BankNational Marine Sanctuary
Florida KeysNational Marine
Sanctuary
Marine Mammal Sanctuary ofSilver & Navidad Banks
Agoa Marine Mammal Sanctuary
Malpelo IslandFlora & Fauna Sanctuary
Seamounts MarineManagement Area
Coiba National Park
Galápagos Marine ResourcesReserve & Whale Sanctuary
Costa Rica Dome MPA
Islas MaríasNational Biosphere Reserve
Upper Gulf of California& Colorado River
Delta National Biosphere ReserveChannel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Scott Islands Marine Wildlife Area
Bowie Seamount MPA
Melville Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Northeast Greenland National Park
Bear Island Nature Reserve
South SpitsbergenNational Park
Forlandet National Park
Northwest SpitsbergenNational Park
Northeast SvalbardNature Reserve
Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve
Hopen Nature Reserve
Franz Josef Land Wildlife Refuge
Chagos Islands MPA
Kerguelen Islands MarineNature Reserve
Heard Island &McDonald IslandsMarine Reserve
Crozet Islands Marine Nature Reserve
Prince Edward Islands MPA
Blue Hole
Cape Horn UNESCO MABBiosphere Reserve
South Orkney Islands MPA
South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands MPA
Ross Sea Marine Reserve
Kermadec Marine Park
Hauraki GulfMarine Park
New ZealandDolphin Sanctuary
Macquarie Island CommonwealthMarine Reserve
& World Heritage Area
Lord Howe CommonwealthMarine Reserve &
World Heritage Site
Norfolk CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Central Eastern CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Flinders CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Freycinet CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Huon CommonwealthMarine Reserve
South Tasman Rise CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Tasman Fracture CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Zeehan CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Nelson CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Murray CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Abrolhos CommonwealthMarine Reserve
South-west Corner CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Eastern RechercheCommonwealthMarine Reserve
Western Eyre CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Far West Coast Marine Park& Great Australian Bight
CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Shark Bay CommonwealthMarine Reserve &
World Heritage Area
Gascoyne CommonwealthMarine Reserve
Argo-Rowley Terrace CommonwealthMarine Reserve Kimberley Commonwealth
Marine Reserve
Oceanic ShoalsCommonwealthMarine Reserve
ArafuraCommonwealthMarine Reserve
Gulf of Carpentaria CommonwealthMarine Reserve
West Cape YorkCommonwealthMarine Reserve
Cendrawasih BayMarine National Park
Wakatobi MarineNational Park
Savu Sea MPA
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park& World Heritage Area
Coral SeaCommonwealthMarine Reserve
Rose Atoll MarineNational Monument
Motu Motiro HivaMarine Park
Cook Islands Marine Park
Natural Parkof the Coral Sea
Phoenix IslandsProtected Area
Pacific Remote Islands MarineNational Monument
Pacific Remote Islands MarineNational Monument
Pacific Remote Islands MarineNational Monument
Pacific Remote Islands MarineNational Monument
Pacific Remote Islands MarineNational Monument
Mariana Trench MarineNational Monument
Commander Islands StateBiosphere Reserve
Southeastern Bering SeaRight Whale Critical Habitat
Wrangel Island Nature Reserve
Papahānaumokuākea MarineNational Monument
MARINEMAMMAL PROTECTEDAREAS TASK FORCE
Working toward Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs)IUCN MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTED AREAS TASK FORCE
In October 2013, the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force was launched by IUCN and the International Committee for Marine Mammal Protected Areas (ICMMPA) at the 3rd International MPA Congress (IMPAC 3) in Marseille, France. The Task Force - established within the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the World Commission on Protected Areas - soon became aware of the urgent necessity for a standardised protocol to help categorise, collate and advocate evidence used in global strategic conservation planning for marine mammal habitats. The first action of the Task Force was to hold a workshop to develop criteria for a new conservation category: Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs).
ABOUT THIS MAP
This world map shows habitat that has been identified in multiple conservation efforts for about 130 species of marine mammals including nearly 90 whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans); 33 seals and sea lions (pinnipeds); 4 manatees and dugong (sirenians); and sea otter, river otter and polar bear (carnivores). The starting point for this map consists of layers for proposed and existing MPAs and national EEZ cetacean sanctuaries from Marine Protected Areas for
ndWhales, Dolphins and Porpoises (Hoyt, E. 2011, 2 Edition, Routledge, New York & Oxford, 477pp). To these layers were added areas for other marine mammals in the IUCN protected areas database, as well as marine mammal areas identified as CBD EBSAs, IUCN marine KBAs, IMO shipping areas and biologically important areas (BIAs) as described for marine mammals in Australia and the USA.
This map may be seen as a preliminary compilation of the current status of the recognition of marine mammal habitats through the above existing tools and mechanisms, both legal and to be considered for legal or other status. The habitats of many species and most populations of the 130 marine mammals, however, have no formal recognition or protection and are absent from the map. Over the next few years, the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force plans to evaluate the evidence for the habitat needs of these species and to identify many new areas across the ocean and thereby to create a network of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs).
2Habitat areas that are less than about 2,000 km are shown as points while most areas larger than that are shown as polygons. This map uses a modified Robinson Projection centred on 81˚ West.
Existing Marine Mammal Protected Areas (MMPAs), designated by law in the waters of one or more countries, or on the high seas by regional agreement. Also includes freshwater habitats for river and a few other dolphins, and land-based rookeries and haulouts for pinnipeds. MMPAs are defined as MPAs either declared for marine mammals or known to include important marine mammal habitat.
freshwater pinnipeds, sirenians, and otters as well as limited areas for polar bears
Proposed Marine Mammal Protected Areas (p-MMPAs)
Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) identifying marine mammal habitat through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). EBSAs appear as continuous areas on the map. Some abut or have smaller overlapping sites contained inside but these are not delineated on the map. The EBSAs shown include a few that have been agreed at workshops but are pending approval by the CBD.
IUCN Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (Marine KBAs), selected in limited countries to date examples of marine biodiversity (locations shown include marine mammal habitats)
as outstanding
Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) and other International Maritime Organisation (IMO) directives for marine mammal habitats (shipping lanes or speed restrictions in or near marine mammal habitats)
Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) with marine mammal habitat (in Australia and USA only). BIAs that abut or overlap are shown continuously on the map.
National (EEZ) Marine Mammal Sanctuaries (in the national waters of a country or territory)
areas declared mainly as "no hunting areas" for cetaceans
The oceans of the world, as shown on the map, are divided into 18 marine regions according to accepted IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) divisions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Support for the preparation of this map came from the International Committee for Marine
Mammal Protected Areas (ICMMPA), Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Animal Welfare
Institute (AWI), and Dan Laffoley.
Map design and preparation: Lesley Frampton and Erich Hoyt.GIS, data preparation and coordination: Michael J. Tetley.
Text and editing: Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara and Erich Hoyt.
The IUCN SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force is co-chaired by Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara and Erich Hoyt.
For more information about the International Committee for Marine Mammal Protected Areas and the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, go to . For
more information on the areas shown on this map, go to (for background on individual MPAs proposed and existing for cetaceans and national EEZ sanctuaries), (for
IMO areas), (for EBSAs), and for searchable map information on MPAs in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA).
This map should be considered as a draft living document.
Please send additions, changes and suggestions to both Erich Hoyt, [email protected] and Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, [email protected].
ISBN: 978-0-9853252-3-7
icmmpa.orgcetaceanhabitat.org
pssa.imo.orgcbd.int/ebsa/ protectedplanet.net
The latest high resolution version of the map and other Task Force documents, including the "Criteria Report" shown top left, can be freely downloaded from the Task Force website: . mmpatf.org
It is expected that IMMAs will aid the identification and protection of marine mammal habitats mainly through the existing tools and processes of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) and IUCN marine Key Biodiversity Areas (Marine KBAs). IMMAs will also be useful for:
IMPORTANT MARINE MAMMAL AREAS (IMMAs)
Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) are discrete portions of habitat, important to one or more marine mammal species, which have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation.
the design and management of marine mammal protected areas (MMPAs) and regional MMPA networks,
marine mammal conservation concerns in marine spatial planning (MSP) exercises,
identifying areas where guidelines or regulations may need to be implemented with reference to the risk of oil spills, ship strikes (particularly for large whales) or where noise considerations need to be made, and
areas important for monitoring the effect of climate change on marine mammal habitats.
Two International Whaling Commission (IWC) ocean-wide sanctuaries are noted on the map: the Indian Ocean Whale Sanctuary and the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. There are also two proposed IWC sanctuaries: South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary and South Pacific Whale Sanctuary. These are mainly no-whale-hunting areas although they have stimulated considerable scientific research and debate, as well as engagement by bordering countries. Yet, because of their large scale, they are not considered to be contributing to knowledge of specific marine mammal habitat areas.
Preliminary Indications of Marine Mammal Habitat fromVarious Existing Political and Biological Designations
COLOUR KEYS FOR POTENTIAL IMPORTANT MARINE MAMMAL AREAS AS SHOWN ON THE MAP
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