ProtectedSeas adds marine protection and ocean mapping skills to Seabed 2030
The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project has entered a partnership with ProtectedSeas, whose mission is to raise awareness of critical marine protected areas (MPAs) and strengthen compliance with ocean protections through advanced mapping and monitoring solutions. By bringing together ProtectedSeas’ comprehensive marine protection mapping and monitoring capabilities with global bathymetric information, the partnership will help deliver richer insights to support effective ocean management.
Since its inception a decade ago, ProtectedSeas has created the most comprehensive resource of regulatory information on MPAs globally, alongside a unique marine monitoring system that enhances understanding and enforcement of ocean protections. Its Navigator platform – which offers a global map of marine life protections – provides freely available, standardized information that allows comparisons across jurisdictions and delivers actionable insights on the state of conservation of the global ocean. Currently deployed in over 25 locations worldwide, ProtectedSeas’ shore-based Marine Monitor (M2) provides continuous, 24/7 live tracking of vessel activity to monitor and protect the nearshore marine environment.
Strengthening ocean knowledge
When paired with detailed seafloor mapping, ProtectedSeas’ regulatory data and autonomous monitoring system help inform marine management, spatial planning and biodiversity protection.
Commenting on the partnership, Seabed 2030 project director Jamie McMichael-Phillips said: “Strengthening ocean knowledge requires collaboration across disciplines and sectors. ProtectedSeas’ work in documenting and monitoring marine protections complements the efforts of our ever-growing global network and adds valuable context to the picture we are building of our ocean.” He added: “Together, we can ensure informed decisions that will help us manage and protect the marine environment.”
Director of ProtectedSeas Virgil Zetterlind said: “ProtectedSeas was founded on the belief that understanding where and how the ocean is protected is essential to safeguarding it. Joining Seabed 2030’s global network allows us to share our work with a broader community and contribute to a united effort to expand and apply ocean knowledge in support of conservation and sustainable use.”
All data collected and shared with the Seabed 2030 project is included in the free and publicly available GEBCO global grid.
