OSPAR is considering extending a Marine Protected Area the size of France to cover the seabed and other species and habitats.

The OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) is seeking stakeholder views on proposed expansion to the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea basin Marine Protected Area (NACES MPA).

The Commission adopted the NACES MPA for seabirds in 2021, and as a part of the designation the Contracting Parties recognised that the reason the site was so important for seabirds might also apply to other species and the habitats that support them. OSPAR therefore agreed that by 2023 it would examine the case for broadening the scope and conservation objectives of the NACES MPA.

Seabird protection already in place

The NACES MPA was designated at OSPAR’s 2021 Ministerial meeting, primarily for the protection of seabirds. This reflected the fact that the NACES MPA is an important transition zone where large oceanic gyres meet, resulting in nutrient rich waters that that make it an area where biodiversity is often high. Based on tracking data the area, around the size of France, was found to be an important feeding and foraging area and is used both by seabirds breeding on the coasts of the North-East Atlantic, and by those migrating across the globe or nesting in other parts of the world. Specifically, the Site is an important foraging ground for the OSPAR listed species blacklegged kittiwake, thick-billed murre, and Audubon’s shearwater.

Further information and resources

The consultation, that starts on 1 December 2022 for a period of 3 months, invites views on new evidence that seeks to demonstrate clear linkages between the benthic and pelagic systems, explaining why this site is so important for seabirds and other species.

Information on how to contribute to the consultation and the specific questions on which views are sought is available here.

More information on OSPAR’s network of MPAs can be found here and the latest summary assessment here.