---
title: "Helping seabirds, seals and whales.  Enhanced protection for a large Marine Protected Area in the South Atlantic"
---

# Helping seabirds, seals and whales.  Enhanced protection for a large Marine Protected Area in the South Atlantic

*![430029630 787835850039392 71621115301353972 n](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Logos/430029630_787835850039392_71621115301353972_n.jpg)  
The**South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area, showing the newly closed areas*

 A further expansion of the protection of waters surrounding South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur)* has been recently [announced](https://gov.gs/mp-enhancements-feb24/), following a second five-year review.  This comes after a [previous expansion](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/marine-protected-areas-around-albatross-and-petrel-islands-in-the-south-atlantic-to-expand?highlight=WyJzb3V0aCIsInNvdXRoJyIsImdlb3JnaWEiLCJnZW9yZ2lhcyIsImdlb3JnaWEncyIsIm1wYSIsIm1wYSdzIl0=) in 2019 after the first 5-year review of the MPA.  It is considered to be a “crucial step in conserving a unique and vital ecosystem”.  The 1.24 million km2 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area was established in 2012.

  Based on new research on “climate impacts, whale population dynamics, toothfish habitats and penguin foraging”, the MPA is to extend full protections by being closed to all fishing activity across an additional 166 000 km² (increasing their area from 283 000 km2 to 449 000 km2).  This will result in *c.* 36% of the MPA falling under no-take protection.  “During the five months when highly regulated, licensed fishing is permitted, 40% of the MPA will now be closed to krill fishing, with 95% closed to longline fishing”. Closure to longline fishing is significant as it is an important cause of mortality of the albatrosses and some of the petrels that breed in numbers on South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)*.  Further, the whole MPA remains closed to bottom trawl fishing, which can also be a source of seabird mortality,

 *![Richard Phillips Black browed Albatross 7](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_browed/Richard_Phillips_Black-browed_Albatross_7.JPG)  
Enhanced marine protection is welcome for this inquisitive Black-browed Albatross*Thalassarche melanophris*on its nest on [Bird Island](https://www.acap.aq/news/news-archive/2013-news-archive/acap-breeding-sites-no-16-bird-island-south-atlantic-where-albatrosses-and-petrels-have-been-studied-for-decades), photograph by Richard Phillips*

 The announcement of enhanced protection for a very large MPA around a seabird breeding island  is welcome in a year when the Albatross and Petrel Agreement has chosen “[Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans](https://www.acap.aq/world-albatross-day/wad2024-marine-protected-areas)” as its theme for World Albatross Day on 19 June 2024,

 Read more about the MPA enhancement [here](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases-and-statements/2024/02/26/uk-expands-marine-protections-in-south-georgia-and-the-south-sandwich-islands) and about other very large MPAs around island supporting ACAP-supported breeding species [here](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/eight-very-large-marine-protected-areas-totalling-over-three-and-a-third-million-square-kilometres-surround-breeding-sites-of-acap-listed-albatrosses-and-petrels?highlight=WyJzb3V0aCIsInNvdXRoJyIsImdlb3JnaWEiLCJnZW9yZ2lhcyIsImdlb3JnaWEncyIsIm1wYSIsIm1wYSdzIl0=).

 *John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 07 March 2024*

 *A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.