5國政府和5個國際組織首開先例，主動簽訂協議，保護全球唯一沒有海岸線的「馬尾藻海」海域免於汙染、船隻交通、過度捕撈和非法活動的威脅。
「海上的金黃熱帶雨林」 遷徙必經之地
英國自治海外領地百慕達位於馬尾藻海西邊界。本月稍早，5國政府和國際組織代表在百慕達首都漢彌爾頓市簽署「漢彌爾頓馬尾藻海保育合作聲明」（Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea）。
馬尾藻海位於北大西洋，覆蓋西經70至40度、北緯20至35度的地區，是面積2百萬平方英哩的海洋生態系統，也是鮪魚、劍魚、鰻魚、海龜、旗魚和鯨魚的棲息、繁殖場域和遷徙的必經之地。
馬尾藻海因海面上漂浮大量北大西洋亞熱帶環流帶來的馬尾藻而得名，海洋學家Sylvia Earle博士將之形容為「漂浮在海上的黃金熱帶雨林」。
自發性保護公海生態 「漢彌爾頓公約」開先例
此自願行動協議由百慕達、英國、美國、摩納哥和位於馬尾藻海東邊界的亞速爾群島政府簽署。英屬維京群島、瑞典、荷蘭、特克斯和凱科斯群島以及南非，也對漢彌爾頓公約表示支持。
參與簽署的5個國際組織分別是鄰近東北大西洋地區的奧斯陸和巴黎委員會、國際海底管理局、美洲國家間保護與養育海龜公約組織、移棲物種公約組織和世界自然保育聯盟（IUCN）。
IUCN公海政策顧問Kristina Gjerde說：「漢彌爾頓合作聲明保護公海上珍寶，是難能可貴的自願性保護行動。若能以堅強的領導和管理保護馬尾藻海，將能呼籲全世界國際社群一起來保護全球公海的野生物種。」
為鼓勵自願性保育工作並提供諮詢，漢彌爾頓合作聲明亦宣布成立馬尾藻海委員會，以確保有效的環境管理。
For the first time, the world’s only sea without coasts will be protected from the harmful effects of pollution, ship traffic, overfishing, and illegal activities under a new agreement among five governments and five intergovernmental partners.
The Sargasso Sea, a two-million-square nautical mile ecosystem in the North Atlantic, stretching from 70 to 40 degrees west, and from 20 to 35 degrees north, provides resting, feeding and breeding areas and migration paths for tuna, swordfish, eels, turtles, marlin and whales.
The British Overseas Territory of Bermuda is near the western edge of the sea. It was in Bermuda’s capital city of Hamilton that five governments and other international representatives signed the “Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea” earlier this month.
This agreement for voluntary action was signed by the governments of Bermuda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Monaco, and the Azores Islands, which are located near the eastern edge of the sea.
The British Virgin Islands, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and South Africa also spoke in support of the Hamilton Declaration.
They were joined by representatives from the secretariats of five international organizations – the Oslo and Paris Commission from the neighboring Northeast Atlantic region, the International Seabed Authority, the Inter-American Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Sea Turtles, the Convention on Migratory Species and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN.
IUCN Senior High Seas Policy Advisor Kristina Gjerde, said, “The Hamilton Declaration represents a rare oasis of joint voluntary action to protect a high seas gem. Strong leadership on better protecting and managing the Sargasso Sea will send a strong message that now is the time for the international community to come together to protect wildlife throughout our global ocean commons. ”
The declaration establishes a Sargasso Sea Commission to provide advice and advocacy that will help ensure effective stewardship.
The Sargasso Sea, called by oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle “the golden floating rainforest of the ocean,” is named after the sargassum, pelagic drift algae that accumulates in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.
※ 全文及圖片詳見：ENS
※ 本文與 行政院農業委員會 林務局 
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