Marine Protected Areas in Alaska: The Largest Marine Sanctuary in the United States
by joelnix boada - huella zero
With 1.7 million square kilometers under protection, these areas not only guarantee fisheries sustainability, but also protect critical habitats where 40 million seabirds’ nest and unique coral and sponge ecosystems thrive in the world.
The cold blue Alaskan Sea is home to a myriad of diverse species. More than half of its waters form the largest marine protected areas (MPAs) in a single state in the United States, spanning approximately 1.7 million square kilometers. In these zones, which include wildlife refuges and habitat protection areas, fisheries sustainability, coral protection, and seabird conservation are prioritized. Unlike integral reserves, in most of these areas multiple regulated activities are allowed rather than completely prohibiting resource extraction. Among Alaska's MPAs is the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, nesting site for approximately 40 million seabirds. This figure represents nearly 80% of the state's nesting bird population. According to NOAA, this refuge encompasses 2,500 islands, islets, pinnacles, and reefs. In this ecosystem, scientists continuously monitor ocean resources and manage the presence of invasive species. Alaska Marine Protected Areas Another key area is the Aleutian Islands, where the Environmental Protection of Habitats (HHA) has been in place since 2005. Currently, more than 95% of the management area is closed to bottom trawling to protect coral and sponge ecosystems. To safeguard these habitats, six Conservation Zones have been established in areas of high biological density. In these 110 square nautical miles, the use of fishing gear that comes into contact with the seabed, such as longlines and trawls, is prohibited, so they function as authentic marine reserves. Likewise, the Alaska Seamounts make up an area of 16 volcanic peaks and mountain ranges, including Mt. Brown, Mount Patton, Mount Welker, Mt. Quinn, and Mount Peirce, where any contact with the seafloor is off-limits. The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) designated these sites as Habitat Protection Areas (HAPCs) because of their fragility. These mountains act as accelerators of life, generating outcrops of nutrients that attract everything from commercial fish to whales, functioning as natural genetic laboratories. Also, the Bering Sea has three strategic MPAs: the Pribilof Islands Habitat Conservation Area, the Red King Crab Conservation Area and the Bristol Bay Trawling Closure Area. Its objective is the sustainable management of crustaceans and the restriction of destructive fishing methods.
Importance of MPAs According to the National Center for Marine Protected Areas, 26% of U.S. seas are within MPAs, congregating a thousand areas. A report by the institution stresses that "ecological connectivity" between these sites is crucial: "Improving connectivity between MPAs optimizes conservation outcomes by promoting biodiversity, the resilience of populations and a greater capacity to adapt to environmental change." Maximiliano Bello, an expert in marine conservation, in his course on how to protect MPAs, emphasized that the ocean is not something alien to us, but our home. Although historically it was thought that the ocean was unaffectable due to its immensity, he warns that these areas today face a triple crisis: climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution. He also explained that large MPAs with strict prohibitions are more effective. Not only do they protect species, but they function as carbon sinks and build resilience, allowing ecosystems to better withstand climate change by eliminating local pressures such as overfishing.
