The European Commission has welcomed the agreement reached by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart, Tasmania, on Friday 28 October to establish a marine protected area (MPA) in the Ross Sea, a huge bay on the Pacific side of Antarctica under New Zealand jurisdiction (see EUROPE 11642).
The proposal for the marine protected area was successfully promoted by the United States and New Zealand and supported by the EU. It will be the world’s largest MPA extending to over 1.55 million square kilometres. A fishing ban will operate in 1.12 million kilometres of that area.
Russia was the last country to oppose the plan, over fishing rights (see EUROPE 11423).
There was not enough time to approve a second project on the meeting agenda, promoted by France and Australia. This project was for another huge MPA covering 1 million square kilometres in the east of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Ocean, which makes up 15% of the surface area of the world’s oceans, is home to exceptional ecosystems, containing over 100,000 unique species, largely protected from human activity but under threat from the development of fishing and navigation.
European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Karmenu Vella described the agreement as a “significant milestone” and said the establishment of the first major marine protected area in Antarctic waters is an important step for CCAMLR and for the EU’s push for comprehensive and more effective international ocean governance. He hopes “today’s decision prepares the ground for the other protected areas which have been proposed by the EU, such as the Weddell Sea and East Antarctica”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)