A newly published global study in Science has charted a groundbreaking path for the conservation of the ocean’s largest fish and marine mammals (known as marine megafauna) — and Georgia Aquarium is proud to have contributed vital data and expertise, particularly on the world’s largest fish: the whale shark.
The research, part of the MegaMove project, represents the efforts of nearly 400 scientists from over 50 countries who analyzed the movements of more than 13,000 individual animals across over 100 species of marine megafauna, including sharks, whales, turtles, and seals. By compiling three decades of satellite tracking data, the project has created the most comprehensive map to date of critical ocean areas used by these animals for migration, foraging, breeding, and resting.
Georgia Aquarium’s contributions centered on whale sharks, a species the Aquarium is committed to researching and conserving. Working with international partners, Georgia Aquarium has tracked whale sharks in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean to better understand how these gentle giants navigate vast ocean spaces — often crossing multiple countries’ waters and spending significant time in unprotected high seas.
“Whale sharks are a sentinel species,” said Dr. Lisa Hoopes, Georgia Aquarium’s Senior Director of Research & Conservation. “Their movement patterns offer insight into the overall health of our ocean and how interconnected marine ecosystems really are. By contributing long-term satellite tracking data to the MegaMove study, we’re helping inform international conservation decisions grounded in real science.”
The study found that many of the areas most used by marine megafauna are outside existing marine protected areas (MPAs). While the UN’s High Seas Treaty aims to increase protection to 30% of the ocean by 2030, the research shows that even if those targets are met, additional strategies are still needed. Migratory species like whale sharks face overlapping threats from fishing gear, vessel strikes, plastic pollution, and warming seas — risks that transcend any single jurisdiction.
“What’s clear from this research is that protecting migratory species like the whale shark requires a truly global perspective,” added Dr. Hoopes. “We are committed to working with partners worldwide to ensure that conservation efforts match the scale and movement of the species we aim to protect.”
Georgia Aquarium will continue advancing whale shark science, contributing to collaborative efforts like MegaMove that offer a blueprint for protecting the ocean’s most iconic travelers.
