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title: "Two New Large Marine Protected Areas in the South Atlantic declared by Brazil"
---

# Two New Large Marine Protected Areas in the South Atlantic declared by Brazil

President Michel Temer of Brazil has this month designated two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the [Trindade and Martin (Martim) Vaz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trindade_and_Martin_Vaz) and the [St Peter and St Paul (S](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_and_Saint_Paul_Archipelago)[ão Pedro and São Paulo)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_and_Saint_Paul_Archipelago) Archipelagos in the South Atlantic, covering approximately 900 000 square kilometres. The declaration of the MPAs followed on from an active online [campaign](http://bit.ly/2ELc7xs) and a period of public comment.

 “These two MPAs will increase the percentage of protection of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone from the present 1.5 percent to near 24 percent.  Near 12 percent of these new areas (111 thousand square kilometres) will receive protection from industrial fishing, mining and other detrimental activities.”  In the surrounding multiple-use zones fishing would be strictly regulated.

 The islands support globally [Vulnerable](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3894) Trindade Petrels *Pterodroma arminjoniana* and Audubon's Shearwaters *Puffinus lherminieri**([Least Concern](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/45959182))**,* the only procellariiform species that breed within Brazilian Territory.

  ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Shearwaters/Audubons_Shearwater.jpg)

 Audubon's Shearwater at sea

 Read more [here](https://www.conservation.org/NewsRoom/pressreleases/Pages/Brazil-Designates-Two-New-Large-Marine-Protected-Areas-in-the-South-Atlantic.aspx).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 21 March 2018*