Using the marine flyways concept to accelerate ocean conservation

Global flyways are the broad routes migratory species travel between their breeding and non-breeding ranges. The recent identification of marine flyways presents an opportunity to translate the flyways concept to the marine environment to further the conservation of seabirds, one of the most threatened groups of birds. We summarise available data for marine flyways, including national responsibilities, focal species, important site networks and major pressures. We identify 151 migratory and pelagic seabird species that use all or part of the marine flyways, of which almost half are globally threatened. We summarise the existing site network identified for the focal species, alongside their major threats, providing a framework for prioritising conservation actions and identifying knowledge gaps to guide implementation.