Today is World Oceans Day, established by the United Nations (UN), and this year’s motto is “Awakening new depths.” The day invites us to reflect on these masses of water as the lungs of our planet, a source of food and medicine. Along these lines, National Parks have a fundamental role through the National System of Marine Protected Areas, contributing to the protection of oceanic biological wealth and fishing resources.
Most of the earth’s surface is occupied by four oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic Oceans. Together they represent 96% of the Earth’s water and provide us with approximately 50% of the total oxygen generated on the planet.
In addition, they regulate the climate, host great biological diversity and constitute an irreplaceable source of food for human beings. This gives increasing relevance to deepening knowledge about the ocean and its qualities. Therein lies its importance and care, which is why the date that has been celebrated since 2008 seeks to raise awareness in society.
Argentina is one of the countries with the largest ocean area in the world, covering a total of 1,670,440 km², exercising jurisdiction and control over its resources in an exclusive and exclusive manner.
The National Parks Administration (APN) contributes around 7.1% of the Argentine Sea, under different categories of protection of Argentina’s maritime spaces. The APN, through its technical bodies, manages the areas and develops research that supports its management to guarantee the conservation and dissemination of these protected spaces of our Argentine Sea.
On the one hand, it manages the only oceanic Marine Protected Areas that the country has: Namuncurá – Burdwood Bank and Yaganes.
On the other hand, through interjurisdictional agreements with the provinces, the APN co-manages the Patagonia Austral, Isla Pingüino and Makenke marine-coastal parks. It also administers and manages the Islote Lobos National Park, in the San Matías Gulf.
