CCAMLR 44TH ANNUAL SESSION

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR-44) will hold its annual meeting in Hobart, Australia, from 20–31 October 2025.

Experts from the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) will attend to advocate for urgent action on krill fishery management and the adoption of long-delayed marine protected areas (MPAs).

WHY IT MATTERS

In July 2025, the Antarctic krill fishery hit its catch limit for the first time ever, forcing an early closure. This record catch was partly the result of a lapse in a key conservation measure designed to spread out fishing effort, which CCAMLR failed to renew last year. It underscores the dangers of concentrated fishing in sensitive wildlife feeding grounds.

Krill are the foundation of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, feeding penguins, whales, and seals, and they play a vital role in storing carbon and buffering climate change.

Without safeguards, krill fishing threatens not only Antarctica’s wildlife but also global ocean health and climate resilience.

After taking a historic step backwards in protection last year, CCAMLR Members now face a pivotal choice this October: to adopt long-delayed protections, starting with the Antarctic Peninsula MPA, or risk further setbacks for wildlife, climate, and international trust in ocean governance.

WHEN & WHERE

• CCAMLR-44: 20–31 October 2025, Hobart, Australia
• ASOC reception: Tuesday, October 21 at 18:30 at Alceme, Hobart

For event attendance enquiries, please email mary.liesegang@asoc.org

SPOKESPEOPLE

The following people are available for interviews upon request:

• Claire Christian, ASOC Director
• Holly Parker Curry, lead of the ASOC’s Marine Protected Areas Campaign
• Nicholas Kirkham, officer, Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy

RESOURCES

ASOC recently updated its report on the current status of the Southern Ocean, Protecting a Changing Southern Ocean. Available also in several languages. Find more information here.