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New Research: Global tracking of marine megafauna space use

11 Jun 2025

BEES researchers Dr Mark Jessopp, Dr Tom Doyle, Luke Harman and Prof John Quinn were part of an international team of almost 400 scientists from 50 countries whose research has just been published in the leading scientific Journal 鈥楽cience鈥�.

Some of the ocean鈥檚 best-known creatures 鈥� known as marine megafauna 鈥� include sharks, whales, turtles, seabirds, and seals. They are typically top predators with critical roles in marine food webs, but face growing threats from human impacts, with many classed as vulnerable to extinction. The research used tracking data from over 100 marine megafauna species, and identified the most critical locations across our global oceans for better marine conservation efforts.

Current marine protection areas for conservation of marine species and habitats cover only 8% of the world鈥檚 total oceans, which the UN High Seas Treaty seeks to expand to 30%. The research found that these targets are a step in the right direction but will still be insufficient to protect all important areas. This means that additional mitigation strategies are needed to alleviate pressures beyond areas that will be protected. This might include, for example, changes to fishing gear and stricter adherence to scientific advice on fishing quotas.

The research links to UN Sustainable Development Goals, , and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt human-induced extinction of threatened species.

You can find the new paper, Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets, here:  

Dr Mark Jessopp, one of the study鈥檚 co-authors said: 鈥渢he study鈥檚 goal was to identify areas used by marine megafauna for important behaviours like foraging, resting, or migratory corridors, and these areas and behaviours can only be found based on their tracked movement patterns.鈥� 

鈥淯CC has a strong track record in tracking ocean predators, with researchers contributing tracking data from seals, sharks and seabirds to this global study. Together we have outlined the most important locations for 30 per cent area protection for global marine megafauna species, ranking them based on the largest number of species using areas for important behaviours鈥� 

鈥淥ne well-known Irish species included in the analysis is the Atlantic puffin, which is classified as Endangered in Europe. These birds undertake large scale migrations across the Atlantic in the winter, making them vulnerable to a range of impacts outside of Irish waters, highlighting the need for international co-ordination of conservation efforts to protect this and other species that undertake such large-scale movements鈥� Dr Jessopp said. 

Professor John Quinn, a co-author of the study said: 鈥淭he study is a reminder that in addition to identifying important areas that need protection, threat mitigation measures need to be implemented in these areas. This might include, for example, changes to fishing gear and stricter adherence to scientific advice on fishing quotas.鈥� 

鈥淭hese policies have important implications for protecting marine biodiversity, but also for how we manage our marine resources generally, ensuring sustainability in fisheries and other industries, like tourism, as brought to focus by the recent decline of whales in Co. Cork鈥�. 

鈥淗ere at UCC, we study remarkable species, such as the Manx shearwater, a relative of albatrosses. They breed on many of our islands, such as the Skelligs and the Blaskets, and can fly up to 3000 km looking for food to feed their chicks far offshore. We need to ensure their habitats are protected, on land and at sea, and this study will help in that regard鈥�. 

Dr Tom Doyle, a co-author of the study said: 鈥淔rom an Irish perspective, this is an important study because we have our fair share of large migratory species that use our waters. For example, blue sharks migrate thousands of kilometres and can cross many different EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zones). The blue sharks we tracked from Cork migrated south into the Bay of Biscay, the Azores, and as far as the coastal waters of Morocco and the Canary Islands. This presents a challenge for area-based conservation in terms of where to best place Marine Protected Areas. Results from this study suggest that our animals spend most of their time in EEZs, so enhancing protection within areas of national jurisdiction and as part of a network of MPAs, is one of the quickest ways to help our blue sharks and other species.鈥濃�� 

鈥疭ix researchers from UCC contributed to this important study; Dr Mark Jessopp, Dr Tom Doyle, Dr Ashley Bennison, Dr Michelle Cronin, Mr Luke Harman and Prof. John Quinn. 

The research links to UN Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 14 on water, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt human-induced extinction of threatened species.