The IUCN MMPATF IMMA programme is a joint project between the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). The IUCN IMMA layer indicates discrete portions of habitat, important to one or more marine mammal species that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. IMMAs consist of areas that may merit place-based protection and/or monitoring. IMMAs can be seen as a marine mammal data layer indicative of important biodiversity and potentially ecosystem health that can be considered as priorities for protection and management by governments, intergovernmental organisations, conservation groups, and the general public.

For more information visit: https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are sites of global importance for the conservation of biodiversity, identified using standardized scientific criteria. They support populations of threatened species, unique ecosystems, or critical ecological processes. KBAs help guide conservation planning, policy, and sustainable management efforts. While not legally protected by default, they serve as priorities for biodiversity conservation at local, national, and global levels.

For more information visit: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a primary ocean conservation tool to achieve healthy and resilient marine ecosystems. MPAs exist all over the world, but they are not all the same. They can differ in many ways, including by size, how the area is established, the types and extent of activities that are allowed, and who manages the area. Even a single MPA can contain a variety of different zones where different activities are allowed.

For more information visit Protected Planet where you can explore the UN World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), World Database on OECMs, Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME), and a wealth of associated information. Website: https://www.protectedplanet.net/

Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) are marine regions identified under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as having high ecological or biological significance. These areas support biodiversity, endangered species, unique ecosystems, or critical life-cycle processes such as breeding and migration. EBSAs are identified based on scientific criteria, including uniqueness, productivity, vulnerability, and importance for threatened species. While EBSA designation does not impose legal protection, it informs conservation and sustainable management efforts at national and international levels.