UN Recognizes 6 Ocean Highways to Save Seabirds

Scientists just mapped the invisible highways that seabirds use to cross entire oceans, and now the world is taking action to protect them.

Using tiny tracking devices attached to seabirds, researchers identified six major ocean flyways that 151 species rely on for migration. Think of them as bird superhighways stretching across entire ocean basins. These routes connect 1,300 key biodiversity areas where seabirds regularly stop to rest and feed.

In March 2024, the UN's Convention on Migratory Species officially recognized these marine flyways for the first time. That recognition gives nations a formal framework to coordinate protection efforts across borders.

"It's a fantastic communication tool for highlighting these amazing journeys that the seabirds undertake and the fact that multiple people, stakeholders, and countries need to come together," says Tammy Davies, marine science coordinator at BirdLife International and co-author of the research published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Half of all seabird species are declining. They face threats throughout their entire life cycle, from invasive predators like rats and cats attacking nests on land to getting caught in fishing nets at sea.

That's what makes the flyway approach so powerful. Instead of each country working alone, 54 nations can now coordinate their conservation efforts along these routes. When birds breed in one country but migrate through waters controlled by ten others, everyone needs to pitch in.

The Ripple Effect

The timing couldn't be better. This conservation framework overlaps perfectly with two other major international agreements: the High Seas Treaty and the Kunming-Montreal Agreement under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

All three agreements share common goals around protecting ocean areas and creating connected habitats. That overlap could make cooperation easier, even in a world where international agreements often depend on political will.

"The most obvious overlapping interest is around the area-based management tools," Davies explains. The High Seas Treaty already sets out mechanisms to protect areas beyond any single nation's jurisdiction and recognizes the need for connectivity between protected zones.

Countries can focus on reducing fishing bycatch, protecting nesting sites from invasive species, and safeguarding the ocean areas where birds rest during their journeys. Each nation can contribute what works best for their part of the flyway.

The formal recognition transforms scattered local efforts into a coordinated global strategy, giving these incredible ocean travelers a fighting chance at recovery.