The governments of Bermuda, the Azores, Monaco, United Kingdom and the United States
have promised to work together to conserve the Sargasso Sea – a vast patch of mid-Atlantic Ocean known for its unique floating seaweeds that harbour rich biodiversity.
This is the first time an international alliance has been formed to protect this unique haven of marine life.
They have signed s a declaration in Bermuda’s capital Hamilton, promising to seek protection for the Sargasso Sea
using international bodies that regulate areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as the International Maritime Organisation,
regional fisheries authorities and the Convention on Migratory Species
“This is a truly historic occasion,” says David Freestone, Executive Director of the Sargasso Sea Alliance.
“It is the first time an international alliance has been formed to protect an iconic high seas ecosystem,
using existing legal international frameworks.”
The Sargasso Sea serves as an ecological crossroad in the Atlantic Ocean. Its floating Sargassum seaweeds shelter
a wide variety of species. Some of them, like the Sargassum anglerfish, are unique to the area. Some 30 species of whales,
dolphins and porpoises breed, live in or migrate through the Sargasso Sea, as do species of tuna, turtles,
sharks, rays and the European and American eels. It has also been discovered young Loggerhead Sea Turtles
use currents, such as the Gulf Stream to travel to the Sargasso Sea, where they use the Sargassum
as cover from predation until they are mature.
The area faces numerous threats which undermine its long-term viability and health. These include wastewater discharge from ships, pollution, fishing,
harvesting of Sargassum algae for fertilizer and biofuel production, seabed mining, climate change
and ocean acidification.
“The more we explore the vast blue open ocean, the more we realize that it has some spectacular havens
for wildlife just like those we value on land,” says Dan Laffoley, Marine Vice Chair of the IUCN World Commission
on Protected Areas. “Unlike on land, however, we do not have proper legal mechanisms to safeguard these precious places.”
Unlike the Mediterranean, the Northeast Atlantic or Southern Ocean, the Sargasso Sea lacks a regional organization responsible
for its conservation. The Hamilton Declaration will provide a platform for the creation of a Sargasso Sea Commission,
whose aim will be to minimize the adverse effects of shipping and fishing in the area, keeping its health, productivity
and resilience under review.
“The Hamilton Declaration represents a rare oasis of joint voluntary action to protect this high seas gem,”
says Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Senior High Seas Policy Advisor. “Strong leadership in protecting and managing
the Sargasso Sea should send an important message to the international community that now is the time
to come together to protect wildlife throughout our global ocean commons.”
