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THE WORLD IS watching And Time is Ticking

Iceberg, northern Ross Sea, Antarctica. Photo by Bob Zuur, WWF

Protecting theWorld’s Oceans

TM

Associate AOA organisations:

The following are some of the organisations that make up the Antarctic Ocean Alliance:

Acknowledgements:

Authors and contributors: Blair Palese, Steve Campbell, Emily D’Ath

Design and maps: Metro Graphics

Infographic: Georgia Perry

Antarctic photos: Bob Zuur, WWF ©

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THE World is Watching...and time is ticking

The opportunity to protect our largest intact ocean habitats – within Antarctica’s Southern Ocean – is before CCAMLR.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has a mandate to establish a system of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean, home to almost 10,000 unique and diverse species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. But the fate of this protection hangs in the balance with a number of countries failing so far to support large-scale marine protection through the Commission.

More than 1.3 million people in 121 countries have joined the call – and “the Watch” – for Antarctic marine protection and interest continues to grow. Supporters including leading polar scientists, explorers, ocean activists, political leaders and well-known figures from Russia to the United States and from New Zealand to China have taken up the call. So far, this global momentum has seen no new Southern Ocean marine protection despite two worthy proposals, based on the best available science, being before you.

And time is ticking on. Threats from the impact of climate change, pollution and over fishing increase in our world’s oceans daily.

The Antarctic Ocean Alliance – over 30 organisations from around the world – have come together over the last two years to present a unified voice in asking for CCAMLR’s leadership. With supporters and offices in virtually every country in the world, the AOA’s partners urge CCAMLR to hear the growing global appeal for action. Now is the time for CCAMLR to live up to its conservation mandate and establish large-scale and lasting Southern Ocean marine protection, while these invaluable habitats are still intact.

This year, the world is still watching... and waiting... for CCAMLR Members to show real environmental leadership.

Crabeater Seal, Antarctica. Photo by Bob Zuur, WWF

1.3 million peoplehave called for protection of Antarctica’s Southern Ocean...

That’s 3 people for every emperor penguin living in the Antarctic.

3THE WORLD IS WATCHING... AND TIME IS TICKING ANTARCTIC OCEAN ALLIANCE

It is essential that the international community promptly deals with the status of the high seas and that we establish marine protected areas, in particular in the Polar Regions, in order to ensure their viability and lasting management. Only an unswerving will to produce strong united partnerships will make it possible to struggle against the impact of overfishing, of pollution and of the acidification of the oceans, so that we can return to healthy and productive oceans.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, speech at the UNGA 24 September 2013

The opportunity to protect Antarctica’s unique Southern Ocean is before us now -- I join with millions around the world in calling for CCAMLR to act to protect key Antarctic marine habitats, while they are still intact and thriving. Your leadership is vital to ensuring their protection for future generations.

Leonardo dicaprioActor

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CCAMLR’s mandate to establish a network of marine protected areas in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean is commendable, but where is the follow-through? Safeguarding Antarctica’s unique Southern Ocean systems is critically important to all people, everywhere, for all time – and now is the time to act.

Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer, deep sea expolrer and founder, Mission Blue

As someone who has spent my life – in the fin-steps of my family – working to explore and protect the world’s oceans, I strongly support the call for CCAMLR to protect Antarctica’s vast and irreplaceable ocean habitats. We stand at a crossroads between protecting these waters now while they are still intact or missing this incredible opportunity. I speak for myself and for people around the world in asking you to make the decision and agree to lasting protection in the Southern Ocean.

Fabian Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Yves Cousteau, founder of Plantafish.org, explorer and enviornmental advocate

As someone who has been to Antarctica, I know that the ocean waters there are some of the most beautiful and intact ecosystems in the world. I  join the Antarctic Ocean Alliance in calling for these remarkable habitats – home to penguins, seals, whales and untold fish species – to be protected so that they may remain as they are for future generations.

Wang Jing, explorer and co-founder of the outdoor gear brand Toread Camping Equipment Co.

WE ARE WATCHING...

Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer,

deep sea expolrer

Wang Jing, Explorer and co-founder of Toread

Camping Equipment Co.

Fabian Cousteau, explorer & enviornmental

advocate

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Marine protection proposals for Antarctica’s Ross Sea and East Antarctica – among the most pristine marine environments on earth – await support from CCAMLR to be designated. This map shows the AOA recommendations for protection, the original proposals by the US and New Zealand as well as Australia, the European Union and France, and the revised versions for CCAMLR XXXII. It is clear that the conservation gains are diminishing with every step.

We urge CCAMLR to ensure the marine protection agreed is large scale, binding and permanent so it can truly protect key Southern Ocean habitats now and for future generations. We urge Members to make a positive decision at CCAMLR XXXII on the proposals that are now before you.

60∞ S

0∞ E

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E

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Antarctica

East Antarctic EU-Aus-FR Previously Proposed Areas for Protection – Oct/Nov 2012

East Antarctic EU-Aus-FR Currently Proposed Areas for Protection – Oct/Nov 2013

Ross Sea US-NZ Previously Proposed Areas for Protection – Oct/Nov 2012

Ross Sea US-NZ Currently Proposed Areas for Protection – Oct/Nov 2013

Ross Sea and East Antarctic Marine Protection Proposals and AOA Proposed Additional Areas

Antarctica

AOA Proposed Additional Areasfor Protection

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Antarctica’s Southern Ocean -- Diminishing Ambition?

Ice Cave, Ross Sea, Antarctica. Photo by Bob Zuur, WWF6

It is clear that climate change is accelerating ice melt in Antarctica, which will have significant impacts on habitat. Some regions of Antarctica have already been drastically altered by climate change and evidence of climate change impacts in the Antarctic is growing. Although MPAs and reserves cannot mitigate climate change and ocean acidification, when properly designed they can provide substantial benefits to increase scientific knowledge of these impacts, differentiate those effects from natural variability and help build the resilience and adaptation capability of marine species and ecosystems.

A network of large MPAs and marine reserves that connects ocean processes across space and over time can be the most effective and powerful tool to ensure long-term resilience of the Southern Ocean.

Alex Rogers,Professor, Department of

Zoology, Oxford University

Climate Change Impacts

The Southern Ocean forms a critical component of the Earth system and even minor changes in its ecology may have significant consequences in terms of global biogeochemical cycles. It is also unique in terms of its biota and Antarctic science has provided the best examples of natural selection operating at the level of the genome and whole organism as a result of adaptation to extreme low temperatures over millennia. Antarctica represents the most pristine marine ecosystems on Earth although it is under threat from climate change and human activities such as inadequately managed fishing. Science indicates that maintaining the resilience and health of the oceans requires ecosystem-based management approaches. The time to act is now, before increasing human activities cause further damage to this unique and irreplaceable part of the ocean.

Professor, Department of Zoology, Oxford University

7THE WORLD IS WATCHING... AND TIME IS TICKING ANTARCTIC OCEAN ALLIANCE

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