ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT ANTARCTICA

Another missed opportunity to protect Antarctica. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) – the body responsible for Antarctic marine conservation – concluded its 40th annual meeting, which took place virtually with a restricted schedule.

For the fifth year running, no Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been agreed, despite leading scientists and 1.5 million members of the public calling on CCAMLR to protect Antarctica by designating three large-scale MPAs – in East Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea.

The devastating consequences of climate change are impacting millions around the world, and Antarctica and its marine life are on the front line. The biological imperative to protect Antarctic waters has been apparent for decades and ASOC was disheartened that CCAMLR Members could not reach consensus on these longstanding protection proposals.

“We are extremely disappointed by yet again witnessing this missed opportunity to secure what could have been the single largest act of ocean protection in history through the establishment of three vital MPAs in Antarctica. The planet and Antarctica’s precious waters cannot afford yet another year of inaction”, said Claire Christian, executive director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC)

CCAMLR’s mandate includes designating large Marine Protected Areas that will protect Antarctic wildlife and enable the ocean to build resilience to the climate crisis. Failing to make progress puts CCAMLR’s international credibility at risk. Despite strong support from many CCAMLR Members to agree a network of marine protected areas, during the meeting a minority of countries made extraordinary efforts to undermine CCAMLR’s ability to do its important work, which includes developing scientific advice, reviewing compliance with its regulations, and making conservation decisions.

“As nations around the globe make strong commitments to respond to the climate crisis and conserve our ocean, CCAMLR continues to lag behind. In the past, CCAMLR Members have put their differences aside to collaborate and achieve innovative conservation outcomes. Now, we see continuous delays that will impact the health of the Southern Ocean. The world is watching – it’s time to step up and honour commitments to conserve Antarctica for the future”, said Emily Grilly, Antarctic Conservation Manager at WWF.

“Just days ahead of the climate COP in Glasgow, the failure of the Antarctic Ocean Commission meeting to protect the last wilderness on Earth is a sobering reminder of how government inaction has led us into the climate and nature crisis. If governments think they can get away with empty promises and wasted time, they are wrong. People around the world expect action to protect at least a third of the world’s oceans by 2030, and together we will make sure governments are held to account. Time is up – world leaders must get Antarctic ocean sanctuaries done” said Laura Meller, ocean policy advisor at Greenpeace Nordic.

CCAMLR Members also agreed to extend Conservation Measure (CM) 51-07, which spreads out the interim catch limit of krill across smaller management units—reducing the impact of concentrated krill fishing on krill-dependent predators. In 2016, the measure was renewed for five years, with the mandate that CCAMLR update or replace it by the end of the 20/21 fishing season. This new measure must protect against irreversible impacts on the ecosystem, including overly concentrated fishing in the Antarctic Peninsula. A new CM was not considered at this year’s meeting because the science needed to develop it is behind schedule due to COVID-19.

Andrea Kavanagh, director of Antarctic and Southern Ocean work with The Pew Charitable Trusts, issued the following statement: “In the 10 years since the East Antarctic MPA was proposed, we’ve watched the impacts of climate change in real time. The evidence is mounting that resilience in the region is needed now.

“The addition of India, South Korea, Ukraine, Norway, and Uruguay as co-sponsors of the East Antarctic and Weddell Sea MPA proposals prior to this year’s annual meeting was a positive sign that progress was possible. CCAMLR must act as steward of the Southern Ocean—and fulfil its commitment to establish a circumpolar network of MPAs.

“We’re pleased that consensus was reached to extend a krill fishing regulation, which aims to protect krill predators from overly concentrated fishing. But we know from recent science that this measure alone isn’t enough to keep the ecosystem healthy around the Antarctic Peninsula, which is warming faster than any other place on the planet. Given the warming and acidifying waters and the projected increase in fishing in coming years, we urge CCAMLR to work quickly to finalise a permanent solution that ensures enough krill is left in the ocean for animals like penguins, seals, and whales that depend on it.”