Study Areas
OceanSOS focuses on three core study regions, which were selected because they feature intense geostrophic eddy kinetic energy (EKE) but present contrasting threat landscapes and governance regimes:

  1. The North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea basin MPA (NACES MPA): A globally significant hotspot of biological productivity driven by mesoscale eddy activity, located in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) in the subpolar North Atlantic.
  2. The Agulhas Current System: A highly dynamic ocean biome in the Southern Hemisphere characterised by intense ocean kinetic energy, fine-scale topography (including the Africana Seamount), and critical ecological connections across the Global South.
  3. The Brazil-Malvinas Confluence Zone: A major western boundary current confluence in the South Atlantic known for strong eddy kinetic energy, unique deep and open-ocean food webs, and distinct regional governance considerations.