Data_Sheet_1_The Important Marine Mammal Area Network: A Tool for Systematic Spatial Planning in Response to the Marine Mammal Habitat Conservation Crisis.PDF

The Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) initiative was launched by the Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2016, as a response to a conservation crisis in the protection of marine mammals and wider global ocean biodiversity. IMMAs identify discrete portions of habitat that are important for one or more marine mammal species, and that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. They are identified by scientific experts during regional workshops, on the basis of satisfying one or more of eight criteria that capture critical aspects of marine mammal biology, ecology and population structure. Candidate IMMAs undergo independent scientific review prior to being accepted, and then are publicly available via a searchable and downloadable database and a dedicated online e-Atlas. Between 2016 and 2021, eight expert workshops - engaging more than 300 experts - have resulted in the identification of 173 IMMAs located in 90 countries or territories, across a third of the globe. IMMAs identified to date provide important habitats for 58 of the 131 recognized marine mammal species. Around two-thirds of all IMMAs (65%) were identified on the basis of important habitat for a marine mammal species that is threatened on the IUCN Red List. Approximately 61% of IMMA surface areas occur within Exclusive Economic Zone waters, while 39% fall within areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Task Force undertook implementation planning exercises for IMMAs in Palau (Micronesia), the Andaman Islands (India) and the Bazaruto Archipelago and Inhambane Bay (Mozambique), engaging with a range of stakeholders including government and management bodies. IMMAs are increasingly being utilized in environmental impact assessments, marine planning exercises and in international, national and supra-regional conservation, policy and management initiatives, including the Convention on Migratory Species and Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as the design and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the extension of MPA networks. The Task Force is working toward completing a global network of IMMAs that will contribute the scientific information needed to fulfill the current collective goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.

重要海洋哺乳动物栖息地（Important Marine Mammal Areas，IMMAs）倡议由国际自然保护联盟（International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN）海洋哺乳动物保护区工作组于2016年发起，旨在应对海洋哺乳动物保护与全球更广范围海洋生物多样性面临的保护危机。IMMAs用于划定对一种或多种海洋哺乳动物物种至关重要的离散栖息地范围，且具备可划定并开展保护管理的潜力。此类区域由科学专家在区域研讨会上，依据满足八项涵盖海洋哺乳动物生物学、生态学及种群结构关键特征的标准中的一项或多项完成识别。候选IMMAs在正式获批前需通过独立科学审查，随后可通过可检索、可下载的数据库及专属在线电子地图集（e-Atlas）对外公开。2016年至2021年期间，共举办8场专家研讨会，吸引超300名专家参与，累计识别出分布于90个国家或地区、覆盖全球三分之一范围的173处IMMAs。截至当前已识别的IMMAs，可为131种已确认的海洋哺乳动物物种中的58种提供关键栖息地。约三分之二（65%）的IMMAs，其划定依据为受《IUCN红色名录》收录的受威胁海洋哺乳动物物种的重要栖息地。约61%的IMMA地表面积位于专属经济区（Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ）水域内，剩余39%则处于国家管辖范围以外的海域。该工作组针对密克罗尼西亚帕劳、印度安达曼群岛，以及莫桑比克巴扎鲁托群岛与伊尼扬巴内湾的IMMAs开展了实施规划工作，联动了包含政府及管理机构在内的多方利益相关方。当前IMMAs正日益广泛应用于环境影响评价、海洋规划工作，以及国际、国家及超区域层面的保护、政策与管理举措，其中包括《保护野生动物迁徙物种公约》《生物多样性公约》，同时也用于海洋保护区（Marine Protected Areas, MPA）的规划设计与管理，以及海洋保护区网络的扩容工作。该工作组正致力于建成全球IMMAs网络，为实现当前全球集体设定的"到2030年保护30%海洋"的目标提供所需的科学支撑信息。