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| Mar Argentino | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mar Argentino |
| Location | South America |
| Type | Sea |
| Basin countries | Argentina |
Mar Argentino is the name used in Spanish-language sources to denote the maritime area off the Atlantic coast of Argentina, encompassing the continental shelf and adjacent waters that are central to South Atlantic navigation, fisheries, and geopolitical disputes. The sea interfaces with major ports such as Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, and Puerto Madryn and lies adjacent to maritime regions claimed in international law, intersecting with issues involving the United Kingdom and the United Nations. Maritime commerce, scientific research, and conservation efforts in the area involve institutions like the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Argentina) and international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization.
The sea lies on the eastern margin of the Argentine Basin and overlies the Argentine continental shelf, extending toward the South Atlantic Ocean and bordering provinces including Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires (city), Chubut Province, Río Negro Province, and Santa Cruz Province. Major coastal features include the Golfo San Matías, the Golfo Nuevo, the Peninsula Valdés, and offshore features such as the Burdwood Bank and the Malvinas Plateau. Shipping lanes connect Port Stanley and Falkland Islands facilities to transatlantic routes toward Cape Town, São Paulo, and Montevideo, while adjacent island groups and features intersect with claims and navigation rights involving the United Kingdom and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Hydrographic characteristics are influenced by the confluence of the cold Falklands Current (also known as the Malvinas Current) and the warm Brazil Current, creating strong frontal systems and mesoscale eddies that affect temperature, salinity, and productivity. Oceanographic surveys by institutions such as the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero and research vessels affiliated with CONICET map bathymetry, currents, and sediments across the Argentine Basin and the Río de la Plata plume. Seasonal variability ties to atmospheric patterns linked to the South Atlantic High and remote drivers like the El Niño–Southern Oscillation that modulate upwelling, stratification, and plankton blooms important for regional biogeochemistry.
Biological communities range from coastal estuaries hosting populations of Argentine hake and Argentinian shrimp to pelagic assemblages that include southern bluewhiting, anchovy, and sardine stocks, and apex predators such as blue whale, southern right whale, and killer whale. Benthic habitats on the shelf support sponge, mollusc, and crustacean faunas studied by researchers at the Museo de La Plata and universities including the University of Buenos Aires. Birdlife along the coast and offshore includes Magellanic penguin, albatross species, and tropicbird records near island colonies; conservation work often involves partnerships with NGOs like World Wide Fund for Nature and research programs funded by the European Union and bilateral agreements with Chile.
The maritime area is vital to Argentina’s fisheries sector, with major landings of hake, squid, and anchovy that supply domestic markets and exports to Spain, China, and Japan. Offshore oil and gas exploration in basins such as the Malvinas Basin and activities by companies including Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales and international firms like ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies have driven investment in petroleum infrastructure and ports. Shipping and logistics through Puerto de La Plata and the Port of Buenos Aires underpin trade in agricultural commodities exported by firms linked to Mercosur partners like Brazil and Uruguay.
Environmental concerns include overfishing pressures that have prompted management measures by Argentine agencies and scientific advice from bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and regional fisheries management organizations like the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organization. Pollution sources include run-off from the Río de la Plata basin, oil spill risks from tanker routes, and plastic debris monitored by universities and NGOs including Greenpeace. Protected areas, marine reserves, and international designations—advocated by groups such as BirdLife International—aim to conserve breeding sites at Peninsula Valdés and migratory corridors for southern right whale and humpback whale, often in coordination with the Convention on Biological Diversity and national legislation.
Maritime jurisdictional issues have historical roots in 19th- and 20th-century events involving colonial-era claims, sovereignty disputes with the United Kingdom, and the status of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies. Argentina’s assertions of maritime zones have been framed under instruments like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and national laws administered by agencies such as the Argentine Navy. International diplomatic episodes, including mediation efforts through the United Nations and bilateral talks with the United Kingdom, intersect with fisheries enforcement actions, search-and-rescue responsibilities under SOLAS, and regional cooperation with neighbors like Uruguay and Brazil on marine science and resource management.
Category:Seas of South America Category:Geography of Argentina