Snow Petrel - Image by John B. WellerThis October, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic and Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), made up of 24 countries and the EU, will establish the initial areas that will form a network of Antarctic marine protected areas (MPAs). The waters around Antarctica make up almost 10% of the world’s oceans and are of high environmental and scientific importance. As home to almost 10,000 diverse and unique species including penguins, seals, whales, toothfish and albatross, Antarctic waters are some of the most pristine ocean environments left on Earth.
Adelie Penguins Hunting - Image by John B. WellerThe fate of the Antarctic Ocean will be decided with limited public participation and no media access. Without public involvement, only parts of the Ross Sea will be preserved, leaving the ecosystem vulnerable.You can help! Join the Alliance, Join the Watch at www.antarcticocean.org, sign the petition and ask others to join us!
Image by John B. WellerLast year, 15 environmental organizations, including the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, formed the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA). AOA is proposing the establishment of the world's largest network of fully protected marine reserves and marine protected areas in the ocean around Antarctica, including a 3.6 million square kilometer marine reserve in the Ross Sea.The Ross Sea has been recognized by scientists as one of the few remaining marine ecosystems not significantly impacted by humans. Due to its unique currents and geomorphic features, the Ross Sea is teeming with life, and is expected to be one of the last places in Antarctica with cold enough temperatures for many species including the Antarctic toothfish and Adelie penguins.
Read the AOA Report Antarctic Ocean Legacy: A Marine Reserve for the Ross Sea
Join Edward Norton and Sylvia Earle and Join the Watch to protect Antarctica’s oceans! Watch the Video!
