More Antarctic Marine Protections Needed at CCAMLR

HOBART, Australia—In mixed news for ocean conservation advocates, the body that governs all activity in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica concluded its 36th annual meeting today without creating a marine protected area (MPA) in East Antarctica. But the scientific body within the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) did endorse a plan to monitor the world’s largest MPA, in the Ross Sea, which it created last year. The Pew Charitable Trusts applauds CCAMLR’s action on the Ross Sea plan, but is disappointed that the commission did not create a new marine reserve.

环绕南极洲的南大洋是地球上受人类行为影响程度最小的海洋生态系统之一。南大洋面积占世界海洋的 15%，拥有数千种独特物种，从颜色亮丽的海星、生物发光的蠕虫到淡色章鱼，多种多样。这里还生活着数百万 只企鹅，它们以数量巨大的磷虾为食。磷虾是一种小型的虾状甲壳类动物，与其他觅食物种一起构成了微妙 的食物网的基础。科学家认为，由于受到气候变化的影响，而且该地区的变暖速度快于地球上任何其他地方， 这里的生态系统正在发生改变

继续推进南大洋关键水域的保护

The Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Scotia Arc regions are some of the most biologically important areas of the Southern Ocean and have experienced the impacts of a changing climate more than almost anywhere else on Earth. Regional warming is leading to changing weather conditions, substantial declines in sea ice formation, and winter habitat loss for wildlife such as Adélie and chinstrap penguins, crabeater seals, and Antarctic krill, a forage species that forms the base of the food web. Combined with concentrated fishing for krill in coastal areas, these changing conditions are putting a strain on this fragile ecosystem and its remarkable biodiversity. Consequently, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is considering a proposal to establish a large marine protected area (MPA) in this region.

在东南极海域中，MacRobertson、Drygalski 和 D’Urville Sea-Mertz 区域就涵盖了将近一百万平方公里。 这三个区域组成了南极海洋生物资源养护委员会 (CCAMLR) 目前正在考虑的海洋保护区系统 (MPA) 提案。 皮尤慈善信托基金会支持成立禁渔海洋保护区，因为证据显示此方法有助于强化生态系统和重建生物多 样性。海洋禁捕区也能提高气候恢复能力。具体而言，禁渔的海洋保护区有助于海洋和地球适应气候变化 的六个主要影响：海洋酸化、海平面上升、风雨强度增强、物种分布改变、生物生产力和含氧量的下降。

In October 2016, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) established the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area. The 2.06-million-square-kilometer marine reserve, which covers an area larger than Mexico and includes the area under the Ross Ice Shelf, is the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA). It represents a major advancement in fulfilling CCAMLR’s commitment to create a network of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.