Environmental groups call for more protected zones off East Antarctica

Friday, October 19th 2012 - 02:23 UTC

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Thirty environmental groups on Thursday issued a joint appeal for upcoming talks on establishing protected zones in the seas off East Antarctica to widen the scope of the marine haven.

TheAntarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA), gathering WWF, Greenpeace, Oceans 5 and other groups, said the plan had to be expanded given the importance of Antarctica's biodiversity.

”We are calling on (the meeting) to support the establishment of the world's largest network of marine reserves and marine protected areas in the ocean around Antarctica as a legacy for future generations,“ said AOA chief Steve Campbell.

Twenty-four countries plus the European Union are to take part in a meeting in Hobart, Tasmania of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, or CCAMLR.

Running from Tuesday until November 1, the meeting will debate proposals by Australia, France and the EU to set up a protected marine habitat off the coast of East Antarctica.

AOA said it was lobbying for additional areas to be added to this, including the East India and Prydz Gyre seamounts.

The region is home to big populations of penguins, seals and whales and also has unique seafloor features that nurture early links in the food chain, it said.

The CCAMLR was set up in 1982 with the goal of conserving Antarctic marine life in the face of rising demands to exploit krill, a key component in the ecosystem. It permits fishing provided it is carried out ”in a sustainable manner and takes account of the effects of fishing on other components of the ecosystem”.

Categories: Environment, Antarctica.

Tags: Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA), Antarctica's biodiversity, CCAMLR, East Antarctica, Steve Campbell.

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Boovis
No don't do it, it's obviously an evil British imperialist plot to stop land claims and keep their pirated lands etc etc and other such tales from the brothers grimm.
Oct 19th, 2012 - 05:56 am 0
Conqueror
Just keep argies away! Thieving tosspots. Environmental criminals. Look at how they fish. Grab anything. Greed first!
Oct 19th, 2012 - 02:32 pm 0
Falkland Islands
Let us look at it like this..... eventually the whole world will belong to Argentina, this is why. They claim the Falklands because it is close, so therefore it is Argie, then because SG & SSI is then close, they own that. Because the Andes go under the sea and then come up again in Antarctica they then own that. Then because Antarctica can be closer to Africa and Australia etc they then own those, it just goes on and on until they start claiming the moon and planets for the same reason, being close. Eventually acting like a black hole sucking in the whole universe and then as predicted imploding into themselves, which to be honest is not too far away Ha Ha :)
Oct 19th, 2012 - 03:50 pm 0

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