New Marine Sanctuary Protects Atlantic Wildlife

A historic vote has cleared the way for the creation of the Macaronesia Sanctuary, a major transnational marine protected area across the waters of Spain, Portugal and Cape Verde.

“The Macaronesia Sanctuary represents a shared aspiration between science, institutions, and society,” said Wolfgang Kiessling, founder of Loro Parque Fundación, which led the proposal.

Approved with 96.5% support at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the Sanctuary will safeguard a migration corridor home to 32 whale and dolphin species—84% of all cetaceans in the North Atlantic. The region faces rising threats from shipping, industrial fishing and deep-sea mining, and the initiative builds on decades of scientific cooperation and over USD 29 million in conservation investment that has already helped recover 18 endangered species.