Argentina

In Argentina, Blue Marine supports local NGO, Rewilding Argentina in their mission to protect 30 per cent of the waters of Chubut province in Patagonia from bottom-trawling and other threats, and ultimately to protect 30 per cent of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. 

Rewilding Argentina have forged a strong relationship with the national parks administration and the Chubut provincial government. Both have visited the project and back the designation of 30 per cent of the sea. With the Chubut government, a 10-year collaboration was formalised, focussed on the construction of public infrastructure, legal protection of coastal areas, and the promotion of nature tourism.  

For data to help support the designation, we are monitoring eight humpback whales with the University of California. With the Environmental Policy Circle we are producing the first ever open-access vessel registry that contains information on the fishing fleet operating in waters under national jurisdiction.  

The Argentinian project team has also sailed the research vessel ‘Soairse’ to remote marine eco-regions, collecting data to support conservation measures and improve our understanding of this wild underwater world.

Looking forward, Rewilding Argentina are organizing Argentina’s second congress on marine conservation, develop an analysis of the Argentine fisheries sector with the University of Santiago de Compostela, and support Chubut to establish a 450 km marine park. 

Partners  

Rewilding Argentina, Por La Mer, SeaLegacy, Patagonia Azul and Patagonia Projects.