Whales, orcas, dolphins, sharks and sea lions are just some of the iconic species found in the rich ecosystems of Argentina. But bottom trawling here threatens seabed habitats and fish populations, while new oil and gas infrastructure risks increasing pressure on vital wildlife habitats and coastal communities.
Blue Marine has supported local NGO Rewilding Argentina in its mission to protect 30 per cent of the waters of Chubut province in Patagonia from bottom trawling and other threats. We also support Rewilding Argentina’s wider ambition to protect 30 per cent of Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone, with an overall marine protection target of more than 100,000 sq km.
Our work extends along the Patagonian coast, where we collaborate with provincial governments, local organisations and communities to establish marine protected areas (MPAs), strengthen fisheries management and safeguard important wildlife habitats.
Above Chubut, in neighbouring Río Negro province, we have supported an initiative to create the Big Five Corridor MPA, covering 130 km of coastline that is home to important habitats for five iconic groups of marine wildlife: whales, orcas, dolphins, sharks and sea lions.
Our other partners include Por La Mer, SeaLegacy, Patagonia Azul and Patagonia Projects.
In 2025, our partners achieved the creation of the Patagonia Azul Provincial Park in Chubut. Spanning almost 3,000 sq km, the park safeguards migratory routes for whales, feeding grounds for seabirds and South American fur seals. The campaign also secured legal protection for humpback and sei whales, Commerson’s dolphins, the white-headed steamer duck, the southern giant petrel and the broadnose seven-gill shark.
In October 2026, Río Negro approved the creation of the Big Five Corridor MPA. Covering 2,733 sq km in the San Matías Gulf, it increases the province’s marine protection from 8 per cent to 23 per cent. Blue Marine is working to develop effective management here, monitor maritime activity using Skylight and EarthRanger and establish vessel routes that avoid sensitive habitats.
From 2027, our focus will be on implementing the new MPA and developing a Marine Spatial Plan for the wider San Matías Gulf. Research to strengthen this work has identified dozens of new humpback whales, documented their presence across new seasons, recorded more than 29 weeks of whale vocalisations, and revealed the long-distance travels of fur seals.
Shark fins for export are the main target of the Uruguayan fishing fleet. But now the government intends to protect 30 per cent of its Exclusive Economic Zone by 2030. Blue Marine is helping them achieve that goal.
Whales migrate from South America along a ‘humpback highway’ to feed in the Southern Ocean. Blue Marine has helped protect a huge part of it, around the UK territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI).
Whale shark populations that gather around the African island nation of São Tomé and Principe are under threat. Blue Marine is teaming up with NGO partners and local fishers to help protect the migrating megafauna.
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