MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New Antarctic affairs academic journal, sponsored by ASOC and Agenda Antarctica

Elsa Cabrera explores the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruling on illegal Antarctic whaling carried out by the Japanese government.

The Journal of Antarctic Affairs is the new academic magazine of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) and Agenda Antarctica. The Journal aims to publish and disseminate the most prominent and influential research in relation to Antarctica by publishing articles, reviews and official documents in both English and Spanish twice a year.

 The Journal also plans to stimulate research that contributes to environmental protection of Antarctica. Volume 1 of The Journal of Antarctic Affairs contents:

Environmentalist Mona Samari presents a summary of the proposals, negotiations and importance of creating marine protected areas (MPA) in the Ross Sea and East Antarctica.

Cassandra Brooks focuses on one of the reasons why MPAs are crucial: the impact of fishing toothfish, one of the most important predators in the Antarctic ecosystem.

Elsa Cabrera explores the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruling on illegal Antarctic whaling carried out by the Japanese government.

Argentine biologist and Senior ASOC Advisor, Rodolfo Werner, explains in detail the threats that penguins around the Antarctic Peninsula are facing due to reduced availability of krill.

Chilean biologist Paulina Uribe reports on her investigation of benthic diatoms on the coast of Covadonga Bay, noting the resistance of these algae to sun exposure.

ASOC Shipping Advisor, Dr. Sian Prior weighs in on the Polar Navigation Code and its implications the environmental protection of Antarctica.

ASOC Secretariat Director Claire Christian shares with us a detailed review of the recent film everyone is talking about: Antarctica: A Year on Ice.

The Journal of Antarctic Affairs can be downloaded from: http://www.agendaantartica.org/agendaen/journal.html

Agenda Antártica is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Buenos Aires that works for environmental conservation of the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean, the promotion of research in Antarctica and the preservation of peace in the southern region. Agenda Antarctica, visit: www.agendaantartica.org

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) was founded in 1978 by five environmental organizations in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand, promoting a World Park vision for protecting Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. ASOC has worked since 1978 to ensure that the Antarctic Continent, its surrounding islands and the great Southern Ocean survive as the world’s last unspoiled wilderness, a global commons for the heritage of future generations.

ASOC has observer status at the meetings of the Antarctic Treaty and CCAMLR. The Secretariat of the ASOC, which includes 21 organizations in 11 countries, is based in Washington, D.C. For more information about ASOC, visit: www.asoc.org Email: press@asoc.org