Predator trophic hotspots in the Indian sector of the subantarctic Southern Ocean: how do they overlap with marine protected areas?

The Indian sector of the subantarctic region hosts large populations of top predators which are listed at various level of vulnerability by the IUCN and which are monitored by several bio-logging programs since the late 1980s. Here we analyze more than 800 individuals from seven different pelagic species of albatross, penguins and pinnipeds. Merging our analysis with previous results, we find that the trophic hotspots constitute a network connected by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) through a bottom up effect. When mapped on jurisdictions, this network of hotspots appears to be only partly protected in existing MPAs under national jurisdictions. This study suggests that some High seas areas need to be considered within the CCAMLR area but also the SIOFA.