Global political responsibility for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels
Martin Beal, Maria P. Dias, Richard A. Phillips, Steffen Oppel, Carolina Hazin, Elizabeth J. Pearmain, Josh Adams, David J. Anderson, Michelle Antolos, Javier A. Arata, José Manuel Arcos, John P. Y. Arnould, Jill A. Awkerman, Elizabeth Bell, Mike Bell, Mark J. Carey, Ryan D. Carle, Thomas A. Clay, Jaimie Cleeland, Valentina Colodro, Melinda G. Conners, Marta Cruz‐Flores, Richard Cuthbert, Karine Delord, Lorna Deppe, Ben J. Dilley, Herculano Dinis, Graeme Elliott, Fernanda De Felipe, Jonathan J. Felis, Manuela G. Forero, Amanda N. D. Freeman, Akira Fukuda, Jacob González‐Solís, José P. Granadeiro, April Hedd, Peter Hodum, José Manuel Igual, Audrey Jaeger, Todd J. Landers, Matthieu Le Corre, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Benjamin Metzger, Teresa Militão, William A. Montevecchi, Virginia Morera‐Pujol, Leia Navarro‐Herrero, Deon Nel, David G. Nicholls, Daniel Oró, Ridha Ouni, Kiyoaki Ozaki, Flavio Quintana, Raül Ramos, Tim Reid, José Manuel Reyes‐González, Christopher J.R. Robertson, Graham Robertson, Mohamed Salah Romdhane, Peter G. Ryan, Paul M. Sagar, Fumio Sato, Stefan Schoombie, R. Paul Scofield, Scott A. Shaffer, Nirmal Shah, Kim L. Stevens, C. Surman, Robert M. Suryan, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash Tatayah, Graeme A. Taylor, David R. Thompson, Leigh G. Torres, Kath Walker, Ross M. Wanless, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Takashi Yamamoto, Zuzana Zajková, Laura Zango, Paulo Catry
Abstract
Migratory marine species cross political borders and enter the high seas, where the lack of an effective global management framework for biodiversity leaves them vulnerable to threats. Here, we combine 10,108 tracks from 5775 individual birds at 87 sites with data on breeding population sizes to estimate the relative year-round importance of national jurisdictions and high seas areas for 39 species of albatrosses and large petrels. Populations from every country made extensive use of the high seas, indicating the stake each country has in the management of biodiversity in international waters. We quantified the links among national populations of these threatened seabirds and the regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) which regulate fishing in the high seas. This work makes explicit the relative responsibilities that each country and RFMO has for the management of shared biodiversity, providing invaluable information for the conservation and management of migratory species in the marine realm.