Tristan da Cunha becomes the largest Marine Protection Zone of Atlantic Ocean.

16 November 2020.

Introduction:

The isolated UK Overseas Territory of Tristan da Cunha, has been declared the largest fully protected marine reserves in the Atlantic Ocean at 687,000 square kilometres.
It will be a marine protection zone to safeguard endangered rockhopper penguins, yellow-nosed albatross and other wildlife . This will close over 90 percent of their waters to harmful activities such as bottom-trawling fishing, sand extraction and deep-sea mining.

About Tristan da Cunha?

It is a small chain of islands inhabited by less than 300 humans.
It is located at 6,000 miles from London in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The waters around the island are the richest in the world.
It is home to tens of millions of seabirds, unique land birds.
There are two endangered species and five endangered species in the island.
The island is also home to World Heritage sites such as Gough and Inaccessible Islands.
These islands are the most important seabird islands of the world.
The island will become largest no-take zone in the Atlantic Ocean after joining Blue Belt programme of UK.

The programme protects the overseas territories of the country.
It aims to achieve sustainable management of their marine environment.
It was launched in 2017.
It includes British Antarctic Territories and British Indian Ocean Territories as well.
However, in accordance to Antarctic treaty, the claims over the region has been suspended.

The human activities in Antarctic are regulated by Antarctic Treaty that was signed in 1960.
Around 54 countries signed the treaty. The treaty sets Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity in the continent.

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