Yaganes and Burdwood 2 might be the new Marine Protected Areas of the Argentine Sea. The bill for their creation is already in Congress. The sea gives us life. The time to protect it has come.
The sanction of the bill for the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) would promote a state policy towards the sea, contributing to the sustainable use of marine resources and to the strengthening of national sovereignty over the sea.
Today, only 2.6% of the Argentine Sea is registered as MPA. A significant increase in this percentage would result in environmental, economic and social benefits, and would reinforce the intention to meet the international commitments assumed by the country.
Among their multiple benefits, MPAs promote more sustainable local economies, preserve cultural values, strengthen international relations and favor the adaptation to climate change (resilience). MPAs are indispensable tools for research, biodiversity conservation and for the protection of the structure and functioning of ecosystems.
The creation of the new MPAs would triple the protected area for the sake of biodiversity conservation, thus strengthening an integral policy of Argentina towards the sea.
The images correspond to the expedition to Tierra del Fuego, Isla de los Estados and Yaganes carried out in February 2018 by National Geographic Pristine Seas, the Forum for the Conservation of the Patagonian Sea, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the National Parks Administration and the Government of Tierra del Fuego.