Abstract

The nexus of biological connections throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GMx) region extends from the Caribbean Sea into GMx waters of the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. Identification of important high-biodiversity habitats, the species that utilize such uncommon habitats in the GMx, and ecological connectivity provides a scientific basis for cooperative international marine policy focused on conservation and sustainable management of living marine resources. Despite cultural and legal differences, the GMx-bordering nations share the benefits of sustainably managed transboundary living marine resources. Combined with a compatibility analysis of existing national marine policies, ecosystem-based marine spatial planning would enhance the understanding of connectivity elements and processes, map distribution of habitats with high biodiversity, minimize discontinuity among national marine policies, and maximize coordinated international protection while managing transboundary living marine resources based on biophysical characteristics of the large marine ecosystem. A unified tri-national effort to protect and conserve shared living marine resources would enhance the ecosystem’s resiliency and recovery in response to natural and anthropogenic disasters. Existing conditions in the GMx region support an enterprise to design several alternatives for an international network of marine protected areas in the GMx for joint consideration by policy decision-makers from the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.