Multi-species telemetry quantifies current and future efficacy of a remote marine protected area
Large‑scale marine protected areas offer refuge for wide‑ranging species, yet many do not fully encompass their movements. At Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef, researchers tracked nine species—including seabirds, cetaceans, pelagic fishes, manta rays and reef sharks—to evaluate current and future protection. The PKMPA covered 39% of tracked movements, while the U.S. EEZ covered 54%. Species distribution models showed that 73% of the PKMPA contains highly suitable habitat. Climate‑projection scenarios indicated potential habitat loss around 2040–2050 due to abrupt oceanic change, followed by recovery by century’s end. Suitable habitat adjacent to the PKMPA suggests that expanding boundaries could enhance long‑term protection. This three‑tiered approach—animal tracking, remote sensing and future environmental modeling—provides a framework for designing and evaluating MPAs that support diverse, mobile marine species.
Subject Tags
- Marine protected areas
- Conservation Technology
- Reefs
Abstract
Large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPAs; > 1000 km2) provide important refuge for large mobile species, but most do not encompass species' ranges. To better understand current and future LSMPA value, we concurrently tracked nine species (seabirds, cetaceans, pelagic fishes, manta rays, reef sharks) at Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef (PKMPA) in the U.S. Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. PKMPA and the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone encompassed 39% and 54% of species movements (n = 83; tracking duration range: 0.5–350 days), respectively. Species distribution models indicated 73% of PKMPA contained highly suitable habitat. Under two projected future scenarios (SSP 1–2.6, “Sustainability”; SSP 3–7.0, “Rocky Road”), strong sea surface temperature gradients initially could cause abrupt oceanic change resulting in predicted habitat loss in 2040–2050, followed by an equilibrium response and regained habitat by 2090–2100. Current and future suitable habitats were available adjacent to PKMPA, suggesting that increased MPA size could enhance protection. Our three-tiered approach combining animal tracking with publicly available remote sensing data and future projected environmental scenarios could be used to design, study and monitor protected areas throughout the world. Holistic approaches that encompass diverse species and habitat use can enhance assessments of protected area designs. Animal telemetry and remote sensing may be helpful for ascertaining the extent to which other MPAs protect large mobile species in the future.
Citation
Gilmour, M. E., Pollock, K., Adams, J., Block, B. A., Caselle, J. E., Filous, A., ... & Wegmann, A. (2025). Multi‐Species Telemetry Quantifies Current and Future Efficacy of a Remote Marine Protected Area. Global Change Biology, 31(4), e70138. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70138
TNC Authors
-
Kydd Pollock
Pelagic Conservation Strategy Lead, Hawaii
The Nature Conservancy
Email: kydd.pollock@tnc.org -
Alex Filous
Director of Sustainable Fisheries, Micronesia and Polynesia
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alex.filous@tnc.org -
Edward T. Game
Sr. Lead Scientist & Director of Conservation, Asia Pacific
The Nature Conservancy
Email: egame@tnc.org -
Nick D. Holmes
Associate Director, Oceans Program, California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: nick.holmes@tnc.org
TNC Authors
-
Nicholas H. Wolff
Global Director of Climate Science
The Nature Conservancy
Email: nicholas.wolff@tnc.org -
Alex Wegmann
Lead Scientist, Island Resilience, California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alex.wegmann@tnc.org