Why Russia is globally important for protecting marine biodiversity
The Pacific Ocean, 12 seas and the Caspian land-locked sea bound the coast of Russia. The total area of territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of Russia is about 7 million km2, which accounts for roughly 20% of the World Continental Shelf area. Russia’s seas make up four ecoregions listed in the Global 200 list of ecoregions vital for maintaining biological diversity. The richest areas in this regard are the seas of the Bering and the Sea of Okhotsk Ecoregions with over 6,000 species of invertebrates and fish. A significant number of the species found in the seas of Russia are on the IUCN Red List (all the sturgeon species, Bowhead whales which form an isolated population in the Sea of Okhotsk, Western Pacific Gray whales with the only summer feeding grounds of East Sakhalin.
Coverage of MPAs or formal no take areas
The total area of marine territories with the status of specially protected nature area is 91,000 km2 which makes up about 1.8% of the Russian shelf. The total area under formal protection is generally greater than the world average 0.5% and may be at least doubled if to raise the status of the marine mammal protection zones which only in the Sea of Okhotsk region have the area about 20 thousand km2.
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