Static (fixed-boundary) protected areas are key ocean conservation strategies, and marine higher predator distribution data can play a leading role toward identifying areas for conservation action. The Falkland Islands are a globally significant site for colonial breeding marine higher predators (i.e., seabirds and pinnipeds). However, overlap between marine predators and Falkland Islands proposed Marine Managed Areas (MMAs) has not been quantified. Hence, to provide information required to make informed decisions regarding the implementation of proposed MMAs, our aims were to objectively assess how the proposed MMA network overlaps with contemporary estimates of marine predator distribution. We collated tracking data (1999–2019) and used a combination of kernel density estimation and model-based predictions of spatial usage to quantify overlap between colonial breeding marine predators and proposed Falkland Islands MMAs. We also identified potential IUCN Key Biodiversity Areas (pKBAs) using (1) kernel density based methods originally designed to identify Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and (2) habitat preference models. The proposed inshore MMA, which extends three nautical miles from the Falkland Islands, overlapped extensively with areas used by colonial breeding marine predators. This reflects breeding colonies being distributed throughout the Falklands archipelago, and use being high adjacent to colonies due to central-place foraging constraints. Up to 45% of pKBAs identified via kernel density estimation were located within the proposed MMAs. In particular, the proposed Jason Islands Group MMA overlapped with pKBAs for three marine predator species, suggesting it is a KBA hot spot. However, tracking data coverage was incomplete, which biased pKBAs identified using kernel density methods, to colonies tracked. Moreover, delineation of pKBA boundaries were sensitive to the choice of smoothing parameter used in kernel density estimation. Delineation based on habitat model predictions for both sampled and unsampled colonies provided less biased estimates, and revealed 72% of the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone was likely a KBA. However, it may not be practical to consider such a large area for fixed-boundary management. In the context of wide-ranging marine predators, emerging approaches such as dynamic ocean management could complement static management frameworks such as MMAs, and provide protection at relevant spatiotemporal scales.

中文翻译：

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海洋捕食者与巴塔哥尼亚大陆架上拟议的海洋管理区域之间的重叠

静态（固定边界）保护区是关键的海洋保护策略，海洋高等捕食者分布数据可以在确定保护行动区域方面发挥主导作用。福克兰群岛是全球重要的殖民地繁殖海洋高等捕食者（即海鸟和鳍足类动物）的场所。然而，海洋捕食者与福克兰群岛提议的海洋管理区 (MMA) 之间的重叠尚未量化。因此，为了提供就拟议的 MMA 的实施做出明智决策所需的信息，我们的目标是客观地评估拟议的 MMA 网络如何与当代海洋捕食者分布的估计重叠。我们整理了跟踪数据（1999-2019），并结合使用核密度估计和基于模型的空间使用预测来量化殖民繁殖海洋捕食者与拟议的福克兰群岛 MMA 之间的重叠。我们还使用 (1) 最初设计用于识别重要鸟类和生物多样性区域 (IBA) 的基于核密度的方法和 (2) 栖息地偏好模型确定了潜在的 IUCN 关键生物多样性区域 (pKBA)。拟议的近海 MMA 从福克兰群岛延伸 3 海里，与殖民繁殖的海洋掠食者使用的区域广泛重叠。这反映了繁殖群分布在整个福克兰群岛，并且由于中心位置的觅食限制，使用高度靠近群落。通过核密度估计确定的 pKBA 中高达 45% 位于提议的 MMA 中。特别是，拟议的杰森群岛 MMA 与三种海洋捕食者物种的 pKBA 重叠，表明它是 KBA 的热点。然而，跟踪数据覆盖不完整，这使使用核密度方法识别的 pKBA 偏向于跟踪的菌落。此外，pKBA 边界的描绘对核密度估计中使用的平滑参数的选择很敏感。基于对采样和非采样殖民地的栖息地模型预测的划定提供了较少的偏差估计，并显示福克兰群岛保护区的 72% 可能是 KBA。但是，考虑这么大的区域进行固定边界管理可能不切实际。在广泛的海洋捕食者的背景下，