Located off the south coast of Bahia state and the north coast of Espírito Santo state in Brazil, the Abrolhos Seascape is known for its rich concentration of marine biodiversity, which is among the largest in the southern Atlantic. But the long-term well-being of this natural heritage may be at risk if gaps in the legal protection of its main ecosystems are not addressed. These are the conclusions of a recent study identifying the region’s biodiversity hotspots and highlighting the need to protect them. The study covers the full Abrolhos Seascape, encompassing 893,000 square kilometers (344,800 square miles) of coral reefs, seamount chains and oceanic islands. But it’s categorical in pointing out that the richest of its ecosystems is also the most vulnerable. That’s the Abrolhos Bank, home to the archipelago of the same name and the largest expanse of coral reefs in the South Atlantic. It is also Brazil’s largest breeding ground for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Despite all this uniqueness, less than 2% of the bank’s 46,000-square-kilometer (17,760-square-mile) expanse is fully protected. This lies within the 882-km2 (340-mi2) Abrolhos National Marine Park, the first conservation unit of its kind in Brazil, created in 1983. Abrolhos Bank’s marine biodiversity is fundamental for maintaining regional vocations like the artisanal fishing still practiced by traditional communities in the Cassurubá Extractive Reserve (RESEX) and the Corumbau Marine RESEX. Ecotourism is also important here: humpback whale watching generates substantial income between the months of June and November when the marine mammals migrate from…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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