Global Marine Flyways Mapped to Protect Seabirds at Scale
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📰 The quick summary: Governments at a major UN wildlife conference have formally mapped six global marine flyways used by over 150 migratory seabird species, giving conservationists a shared framework to protect ocean health across borders.
📈 One key stat: 42% of migratory seabird species are globally threatened and more than half are declining, making coordinated international action along these newly mapped flyways more urgent than ever.
💬 One key quote: “Seabirds have been tracing these routes for millennia. They have shown us the map. Now it is our turn to follow it with urgency, ambition and a shared commitment to safeguarding the ocean that sustains us all,” wrote Tammy Davies and Aline Kühl-Stenzel of BirdLife International.
1️⃣ The big picture: At the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species, held in Brazil in late March 2026, governments formally recognized marine flyways as a global conservation framework for the first time. Scientists at BirdLife International identified six major marine flyways used by more than 150 migratory seabird species across the waters of 54 countries. Seabirds like albatrosses, Arctic terns, and puffins travel these vast ocean highways each year, connecting ecosystems and nations across entire hemispheres. Despite their remarkable resilience, 42% of these species are globally threatened, facing pressures from invasive species, bycatch in fisheries, climate change, and pollution. Because no single country can address these threats alone, the new framework gives governments a shared language and shared accountability to act together at an ocean-basin scale.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: For the first time, the world has a formal, science-backed map of the ocean routes seabirds rely on, giving conservationists a clear guide for where protection is needed most. Seabirds act as visible indicators of ocean health, so protecting their flyways means protecting the broader marine ecosystems that billions of people and countless species depend on. The solutions needed already exist, from eradicating invasive species on breeding islands to adopting safer fishing practices, and this new framework can align and accelerate those efforts across borders. By linking up with major agreements like the High Seas Treaty and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, marine flyways can channel international funding and political will toward concrete action. Most importantly, momentum is now building, offering a real chance to reverse seabird declines within a generation.
3️⃣ What’s next: On September 11, 2026, BirdLife International will host its second Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together governments, scientists, local leaders and conservation organizations. That gathering will share the latest science, spotlight successful conservation interventions and build the partnerships needed to protect seabirds across their full migratory journeys. Key actions on the agenda include creating new marine protected areas, eradicating invasive species from critical breeding colonies and expanding safer fishing practices.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – Marine flyways are the missing map we can use to boost seabird conservation (commentary)
