Argentina Marine Programme Latin America/Caribbean > South
America > Argentina The waters off of eastern Argentina are very
cold because of strong currents from Antarctica, but remain calm
and somewhat warmer in lagoons and gulfs. The coastal area
provides important breeding habitat for marine seabirds and
mammals. At one time it was also rich in fish, but unsustainable
practices have lead to the collapse of a number of commercial
fisheries. WWF is working in the area to increase the
conservation status of Patagonia and the Southwest Atlantic by
establishing marine protected areas and developing sustainable
fisheries. The marine ecoregion that surrounds eastern Argentina
and Uruguay includes one of the largest continental shelf in the
world and is vitally important for the country’s economy.
Productive fisheries are only possible because rich oceanic
conditions bring nutrients, plankton and fish into Argentine
waters; but despite this richness, events have shown that
normally abundant fisheries can and do fai