Tortel Marine Protected Area created after ten years of work

Following its publication in the Official Gazette, the Tortel Coastal Marine Protected Area for Multiple Purposes (AMCP-MU) has been established in the Aysén Region, providing protection for important species that live in this biodiversity-rich area.

The establishment of this new coastal marine protected area, which covers 6,702 square kilometers, is the culmination of ten years of work begun by the municipality of Tortel and the NGO Oceana in early 2008.

“We have taken an important step in protecting the rich biodiversity of Tortel Cove by creating this coastal marine protected area and promoting the protection of this unique Patagonian ecosystem,” said Minister of the Environment Carolina Schmidt.

The area has high ecological value because it includes aquatic ecosystems that do not currently have any type of effective protection but present a good level of conservation. The coastal territory is recognized to be a highly important biological corridor for emblematic migratory species such as the rockhopper penguin.

The protected species in this area include marine mammals such as the southern right whale, Chilean dolphin, and the marine otter as well as birds such as the black-browed albatross, the least tern and the large black petrel.

Now that the decree that creates the marine protected area has been published, the government will begin to establish a management plan that will contain specific actions for ensuring that conservation efforts are effective. This work will involve all of the stakeholders involved in protecting this area.