On this #WorldOceanDay, I am re-reading my piece for the BBC written on the first UN World Ocean Day in 2009. Then, I reported 0.65% of the ocean was protected. Today 8.3% is protected. But how long to reach the 30% target?!
Find out more: www.linkedin.com/posts/erich-...
Photos ©Tatiana Ivkovich

Hi Emma, Please can you include us (we are the IUCN SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force)? Thanks so much.

Aerial humpback #whales off #Bermuda were stars of the 43 IMMAs at the 11th IMMA Workshop, focussing our efforts the past year on the NW Atlantic Ocean & Wider Caribbean. IUCN story published today outlines the results.
Photo by Andrew Stevenson. @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucn.org/news/202502/...

Celebrating #InternationalPolarBearDay. The Southern Labrador Pack Ice Whelping Area Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA) has habitat for polar bears, harp & hooded seals & is one of 43 IMMAs IDed in NW Atlantic & Wider Caribbean. www.marinemammalhabitat.org/factsheets/s... @erichhoyt.bsky.social

We have been pleased to work with ORCA on reducing the risk of ships hitting whales on their journeys across the Indian Ocean. ORCA biologists have worked with us to identify IMMAs in the NE Atlantic. Here is the latest ORCA news story on our new IMMA release:
orca.org.uk/news-blog/ne...

Today we've announced 43 new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) spotlighting whale, manatee & other marine mammal habitats needing protection in NW Atlantic & Caribbean. See our news story here: www.marinemammalhabitat.org/news/
See the IMMA e-Atlas: www.marinemammalhabitat.org/imma-eatlas/

Proud to announce 43 new Important Marine Mammal Areas—MMAs—in the NW Atlantic & Wider Caribbean region. 43 is testament to awesome species diversity in this region. Meet the manatees, clymene & Fraser's dolphins, dwarf sperm whales & more. Check news story here: www.marinemammalhabitat.org/news/

What do polar bears, northern bottlenose whales & Florida manatees have in common? Yes, all marine mammals, but what else? They are all contributing to a record number of new Important Marine Mammal Areas, or IMMAs, in the NW Atlantic Ocean and Wider Caribbean, to be released tomorrow, Thurs Feb 13.

Exciting new research into the wonders of the KAIMANA WEST PAPUA IMMA.

Frontiers paper from our colleagues here: www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...

Read more by logging in to the IMMA e-Atlas on marinemammalhabitat.org

Bg story and photos here: phys.org/news/2025-01...

#dolphins #Indonesia

US announces withdrawal of 2.5 million km2 (almost 1 mil sq miles) of US waters from oil & natural gas leasing. This includes U.S. East & West coasts; the eastern Gulf of Mexico; & Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area in Alaska. Helps insure chance of a future for NA right #whales & others.

This IMMA is in serious danger: the Kerch Strait & Taman Bay IMMA has suffered a heavy #oilspill of 2,400 tonnes due to Dec. 15 storm when one taker sank & another ran aground. 61 unique threatened Black Sea #porpoises & #dolphins found dead, 32 due to the spill. Clean-up efforts are underway....

Important Marine Mammal Area of the week: The Costa Rica Thermal Dome IMMA, a feeding and breeding area for endangered blue whales & much more, both in national waters & on high seas. We hope soon to be a high seas MPA. Learn more: www.marinemammalhabitat.org/factsheets/c... @erichhoyt.bsky.social

Introducing our IMMA of the week: Rockall Trough Seamounts and Banks IMMA. Off NW Scotland, this is a high-use habitat for deep-diving beaked whales & sperm whales, and features visits from endangered blue, as well as sei & fin whales. More info: www.marinemammalhabitat.org/factsheets/r...

At the recent UN Biodiversity Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia, COP 16, conference delegates & heads of state learned about IMMAs & other approaches for identifying & conserving marine areas. The brief is avail here: iucn.org/resources/ot...

Our Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA) layer has been added to Global Fishing Watch to monitor fishing activity in individual IMMAs on hourly, daily, yearly basis. This illuminates fisheries impacts on #whales & #marinemammals worldwide
marinemammalhabitat.org/global-fishing
@erichhoyt.bsky.social

We are the IMMA-Network, identifying & safeguarding Important Marine Mammal Areas for whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, dugong, manatees, sea otters & the polar bear. Our group is the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force. Please join us to make a place in the sea for the marine mammals.