environment
‘There’s biological treasure here’: Chile’s endemic seals gain protection with new marine park
Sixty years after the discovery of a colony of Juan Fernández fur seals, previously thought to be extinct, a landmark agreement extends ‘no take’ zone around the wildlife-rich archipelago
TL;DR
- Chile has expanded a 'no take' marine protected zone around the Juan Fernández archipelago.
- The expansion is a conservation win sixty years after the rediscovery of the Juan Fernández fur seal, believed extinct.
- The agreement extends protection to 337,000 sq km, aiming for nearly 1 million sq km, making it one of the world's largest marine protected zones.
- This initiative prohibits most fishing, except within 12km of the coast, to allow local lobster fishers to continue their work.
- The expansion was driven by local islanders, including lobster fishers, and conservation NGOs concerned about industrial fishing's impact.
- The Juan Fernández fur seal population has recovered significantly, from an estimated 20 individuals to around 200,000.
- The Chilean government intends to uphold the protections despite a review of environmental laws by the new administration.