Tracking apex marine predator movements in a dynamic ocean

Electronic tracking data on 23 marine species have been collected as part of the ten-year Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) field project, part of the Census of Marine Life collaboration. The information reveals the predator hotspots, foraging patterns and migration corridors of the large marine predators. Top predators are found to exploit their environment in predictable ways, providing the foundation for spatial management of large marine ecosystems. A major finding is the discovery that retentive oceanographic conditions on the west coast of North America have created an ocean wilderness where large predators are relatively undisturbed.