What is unique about Ccamlr?

Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean. In 2009, CCAMLR established the world’s first high seas MPA, the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf Marine Protected Area, a region covering 94 000 km2 in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

What does the Ccamlr do?

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established by international convention in 1982 with the objective of conserving Antarctic marine life.

What are some of the limitations of Ccamlr?

Ongoing concerns relating to IUU fishing include the absence of verifiable information on fishing operations, the lack of detailed information concerning removals by IUU vessels and the impact of IUU operations on species taken incidentally including on vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Where is the Ross Sea marine protected area?

Antarctica
More than 1.5 million square kilometers of the Ross Sea around Antarctica will be protected, of which 1.1 million square kilometers will be a “general protection zone” where no commercial fishing will be allowed.

When was the Ross Sea MPA first proposed?

An MPA in the Ross Sea was originally proposed by both the USA and New Zealand in 2012. These proposals were later revised as a joint proposal and were considered in the 2013 Bremerhaven special meeting leading up to the CCAMLR annual meetings later that year.

How does CCAMLR work on marine protected areas?

period of designation. CCAMLR Members have developed proposals for MPAs in different regions of the Southern Ocean. These proposals are scrutinised by CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee and Commission and once agreed they are described in detail in a CCAMLR Conservation Measure.

Why is the Ross Sea marine protected area important?

The agreement seeks to balance marine protection, sustainable fishing and science interests. The MPA protects rare and vulnerable benthic (deep ocean) species, representative habitats and areas of importance for underpinning and maintaining ecosystem integrity. The MPA also supports scientific research.

When did the CCAMLR set up the CEMP?

In 1989, CCAMLR set up the Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) to further monitor the effects of fishing and harvesting of species in the area. In 2009, the Commission agreed by consensus to creating a representative network of MPAs by 2012.