Blue Whale Marine Reserve Established off Chilean Coast

The ocean update

Blue whales and dolphins spending summers off the coast of southern Chile will be shielded by a new marine protected area (MPA), the largest ever established in the South American nation.

March 14th, 2014 (James A. Foley). Blue whales and dolphins spending summers off the coast of southern Chile will be shielded by a new marine protected area (MPA), the largest ever established in the South American nation.

The Chilean government recently announced the approval for the Tic-Toc MPA, a 90,000 hectare reserve along the country’s southern coast. The MPA encompasses one of the most biodiverse areas of the Chilean coast, and its establishment will increase Chile’s protected sea surface by 100 percent.

The announcement of the MPA is the culmination of nearly 15 years of work, which was involved in the effort to create the reserve.

MPAs are beneficial to maintaining species biodiversity and providing refuge, protecting marine habitats from…

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