Stronger Ocean Rules Could Shield Pacific Marine Life From Climate Losses,

A new open-access study in Discover Oceans examines the Marine Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (CMAR), a transboundary conservation network spanning waters off Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama. Established in 2004, CMAR links protected areas including Cocos Island, Gorgona, Coiba, Malpelo and the Galápagos, aiming to safeguard migratory routes for sharks, rays, sea turtles and marine mammals. Researchers led by Juliano Palacios-Abrantes of the University of British Columbia find a guardedly hopeful outlook: future survival depends heavily on how well regional countries manage fisheries and enforcement. Modeling suggests improved conservation and fisheries governance can buffer climate impacts, but neither approach alone is sufficient. The study weighs warming—up to 0.96°C by 2050 under a high-emission scenario—along with expanding oxygen minimum zones and pressures from illegal fishing.