Progress report for
Launch of twinned marine protected areas in Europe and Africa, North America, and South America
Achievement at a glance
The Transatlantic Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Partnership project promotes broader transatlantic cooperation, centered on a new comprehensive concept of Atlanticism that underscores the growing importance of Africa and Latin America as actors in the Atlantic space.<br>
<br>Three twinning projects were implemented, bringing MPAs from both rims of the Atlantic:
<br> The first project was instrumental in bringing together MPAs from Brazil, Gabon, Mexico and USA. In 2017, it led to the decision of the Abidjan COP 12 to develop transatlantic cooperation on erosion and marine conservation in the Atlantic coasts of Africa.
<br> The second one focuses on networking and the definition of a common strategy between MPAs managers in the Atlantic region. It fed into the establishment of a new global MPA network (IMPANA) launched in Chile in September 2017. A call for joint action to create such a Transatlantic Network was launched on this occasion.
<br> The third project addressed the issue of migration of marine mammals. The Research Centre of the University of Iceland hosted a workshop in October 2017. As a follow-up, Iceland decided to consider the creation of its first MPA.
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Beneficiaries
The partners (beneficiaries) of the three twinning projects are:
<br> Cooperation and common strategy between MPA networks of managers in the Atlantic region
<br>- CaMPAM: Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Managers Network and Forum
<br>- MedPAN: Mediterranean Network of Marine Protected Areas Managers
<br>- NAMPAN: North American Marine Protected Areas Network
<br>- RAMPAO: Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa
<br>- French Agency of Biodiversity
<br>- Fundacin Biodiversidad (Spain)
<br> MPAs and coastal resilience, coping with rapid changes
<br>- Brazil: Abrolhos National Park
<br>- Gabon : Emerald Arc ecological complex
<br>- Mexico: Cozumel Biosphere Reserve
<br>- Portugal: Natural Park of Littoral North
<br>- USA : Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve
<br> Marine mammals protection, a way to enhance Transatlantic cooperation between MPAs
<br>- Bermuda: The Bermuda's Marine Mammal Sanctuary
<br>- Cape Verde
<br>- France: Agoa sanctuary / Reserve Naturelle de St-Martin
<br>- Iceland
<br>- Portugal: Marine Park of the Azores
<br>- The Netherlands: Yarari marine mammal and shark sanctuary
<br>- USA: NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
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