Marine protected areas dedicated to cetaceans: sanctuaries worldwide

Refuges on the high seas

From the Pelagos sanctuary (87,500 km²) to the vast Marae Moana in the Cook Islands (1.9 million km²), the marine protected areas (MPAs) dedicated to cetaceans now cover colossal surfaces. This database presents 25 major MPAs with their management characteristics.

Marine protected areas (MPAs): a key conservation tool

Marine protected areas dedicated to cetaceans combine the aims of conserving populations, reducing anthropogenic noise, preventing ship strikes and protecting critical habitats. The Pelagos sanctuary in the north-western Mediterranean (87,500 km²), the IWC’s Southern Ocean sanctuary and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary are among the most emblematic.

The IUCN and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recommend covering 30% of the oceans with protected areas by 2030, the target known as “30×30”. The Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs), listed by the Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, identify worldwide the critical zones to be protected as a priority.

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Protecting cetaceans runs through: the end of captivity, the global network of sanctuaries, sighting hotspots and the IUCN status of species.