The 103,000 kilometers of coastline, equivalent to circling the Earth 2.5 times, and the more than 40,000 islands that make up one of the world’s largest archipelago systems demand a network of marine protected areas that can include the ecosystems and species that fall beyond the scope of other protection figures. For example, Marine Parks and Multiple Use Marine and Coastal Protected Areas can effectively support the protection and conservation of the ecological and cultural wealth of Patagonia’s inland sea.
The surface area of Patagonia’s territorial sea (up to 12 nautical miles) spans through 183,073 square kilometers, within which there are five Multiple Use Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MU-MCPAs), three Marine Parks, two Marine Reserves, and two Nature Sanctuaries. Together, they protect 1,121,756 hectares of territorial sea.
The Austral Patagonia Program seeks to contribute to effective MPA management or the creation of new areas, ensuring that they are representative of the marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity.
