Kristine Tompkins celebrates new Argentina marine parks

Kristine Tompkins celebrates new Argentina marine parks | iNFOnews.ca
This undated photo provided by Beagle Secretos del Mar shows Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Argentina’s Congress approved on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 two parks in the southernmost Argentine sea, increasing the country’s protected oceans to nearly 10 percent of its total territory and protecting habitat and feeding grounds for penguins, sea lions, sharks and other marine species. (Mariano Rodriguez/Beagle Secretos del Mar via AP)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – American conservationist Kristine Tompkins says the creation of Argentina’s first marine national parks is a milestone that gets it close to meeting its U.N. recommended goal for 2020.

Argentina’s Congress approved the “Yaganes” and “Namuncura-Banco Burdwood II” parks Wednesday.

The measure expands ocean protections to about 39,000 square miles (101,000 square kilometres), which is nearly 10 per cent of Argentine waters. It also protects habitat and feeding grounds for penguins, sea lions, sharks and other marine species.

Tompkins called the decision “historic” on Thursday, saying it has “propelled Argentina a long way forward” in maritime preservation.

Tompkins donated vast swaths of Argentine and Chilean land that she acquired with her late husband to protect them from development.

Her Tompkins Conservation group worked with Argentina on the creation of the marine parks.

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