Multispecies tracking reveals a major seabird hotspot in the North Atlantic
Tammy E. Davies, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Marguerite Tarzia, Ewan D. Wakefield, Janos C. Hennicke, Morten Frederiksen, Erpur Snær Hansen, Bruna Campos, Carolina Hazin, Ben Lascelles, Tycho Anker‐Nilssen, Hólmfríður Arnardóttir, Robert T. Barrett, Manuel Biscoito, Loı̈c Bollache, Thierry Boulinier, Paulo Catry, Filipe R. Ceia, Olivier Chastel, Signe Christensen‐Dalsgaard, Marta Cruz‐Flores, Jóhannis Danielsen, Francis Daunt, Euan Dunn, Carsten Egevang, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Annette L. Fayet, Jérôme Fort, Robert W. Furness, Olivier Gilg, Jacob González‐Solís, José P. Granadeiro, David Grémillet, Tim Guilford, Sveinn Are Hanssen, M. P. Harris, April Hedd, Nicholas Per Huffeldt, Mark Jessopp, Yann Kolbeinsson, Johannes Krietsch, Johannes Lang, Jannie Fries Linnebjerg, Svein‐Håkon Lorentsen, Jeremy Madeiros, Ellen Magnúsdóttir, Mark L. Mallory, Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Flemming Ravn Merkel, Teresa Militão, Børge Moe, William A. Montevecchi, Virginia Morera‐Pujol, Anders Mosbech, Verónica C. Neves, Mark A. Newell, Bergur Olsen, Vítor H. Paiva, Hans‐Ulrich Peter, Aevar Petersen, Richard A. Phillips, Iván Ramírez, Jaime A. Ramos, Raül Ramos, Robert A. Ronconi, Peter G. Ryan, Niels Martin Schmidt, Ingvar A. Sigurðsson, Benoît Sittler, Harald B. Steen, Iain J. Stenhouse, Hallvard Strøm, Geir Helge Systad, Paul M. Thompson, Þorkell Lindberg Þórarinsson, R.S.A. van Bemmelen, Sarah Wanless, Francis Zino, Maria P. Dias
Abstract
Abstract The conservation of migratory marine species, including pelagic seabirds, is challenging because their movements span vast distances frequently beyond national jurisdictions. Here, we aim to identify important aggregations of seabirds in the North Atlantic to inform ongoing regional conservation efforts. Using tracking, phenology, and population data, we mapped the abundance and diversity of 21 seabird species. This revealed a major hotspot associated with a discrete area of the subpolar frontal zone, used annually by 2.9–5 million seabirds from ≥56 colonies in the Atlantic: the first time this magnitude of seabird concentrations has been documented in the high seas. The hotspot is temporally stable and amenable to site‐based conservation and is under consideration as a marine protected area by the OSPAR Commission. Protection could help mitigate current and future threats facing species in the area. Overall, our approach provides an exemplar data‐driven pathway for future conservation efforts on the high seas.