A team from Campus Gandia of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has contributed to an international study tracking the movements of over 100 large marine species, helping identify the world’s most critical ocean areas for their conservation. Coordinated by the Australian National University and endorsed by the UN, the MegaMove project brings together nearly 400 scientists from over 50 countries to identify the most effective locations for protective measures to conserve marine megafauna—such as sharks, whales, turtles, and seals. The findings have been published in the journal Science.
Loggerhead turtle specimen studied in the Mediterranean Sea. Phoro: Miquel Gomila
At present, marine protected areas encompass just 8% of the world’s oceans—a figure the UN High Seas Treaty seeks to increase to 30%. he study underscores that the treaty’s objectives—already endorsed by 115 nations though not yet ratified—are vital to supporting global conservation efforts. However, the study highlights that this target alone is insufficient to protect all critical habitats used by threatened marine species, underscoring the need for additional measures to mitigate the risks they face.
Decreasing the Pressure Human Activity Places on These Species
Among the most iconic species known as marine megafauna are sharks, whales, turtles, and seals. These species are primarily key predators in marine food chains but face growing threats from human activities. Marine ecologist and lead author of the study, Associate Professor Ana Sequeira from the Australian National University, explains that the research aimed to identify critical areas used by these animals for essential behaviors such as feeding, resting, and migrating. To achieve this, the team analyzed their movement patterns.
“We found that the areas these animals rely on overlap significantly with threats such as fishing, shipping, rising temperatures, and plastic pollution. While protecting 30% of the oceans is a crucial goal, it alone is insufficient to safeguard all critical habitats. Therefore, additional strategies are needed to alleviate pressures on these species beyond designated protected zones. Our research highlights that, alongside protected areas, measures like modifying fishing gear, adjusting net lighting, and creating alternative shipping routes will be essential to effectively reduce human impact,” explains Ana Sequeira.
Photo: Sebastian Staines
The study aligns closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 14 on life below water, as well as Goal A of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt human-driven extinction of threatened species.
Jorge Rodríguez, co-author of the study and researcher at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems, adds: “We have pinpointed the key areas to prioritize for achieving 30% ocean protection, categorizing them based on how marine megafauna species utilize these habitats. Our analysis reveals the ocean regions that serve as critical residential habitats or migratory corridors for these species. We have prioritized those areas that hold the greatest importance for the highest number of marine megafauna,” he added,
“But the bottom line is that even if we protected 30% of the oceans, it still wouldn’t be enough to conserve them,” Professor Sequeira stressed.
Satellite Monitoring of Loggerhead Turtles from Campus Gandia
Representing UPV, the team led by Eduardo Beldahas conducted satellite monitoring of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean, including tagging sea turtles, collecting data, and analyzing the results. Marine animals are more challenging to study than terrestrial ones, but satellite tracking offers detailed, real-time insights into their behavior, habitats, distribution, migratory routes, and the potential threats they face throughout their ocean journeys.
Reference
Ana M. M. Sequeira et al. ,Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets.Science388,1086-1097(2025).DOI:10.1126/science.adl0239
