Progress on establishing protected areas in the Southern Ocean: the Ross Sea Region MPA

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1 Progress on establishing protected areas in the Southern Ocean: the Ross Sea Region MPA Mi Ae Kim Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection December 1, 2016

2 Overview Details on the Ross Sea Region MPA Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and its MPA efforts U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 2

3 Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Objective is conservation of Antarctic marine living resources; conservation includes rational use (commercial harvest) Ecosystem Approach to Management Consensus U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 3

4 Ross Sea Region MPA Adopted by CCAMLR in October 2016 (Conservation Measure 91-05) Protects 1.55 million km 2 (598,200 miles 2 ) of which 1.12 million km 2 are fully protected In force for 35 years until 2052 Management areas General Protection Zone Special Research Zone (SRZ) Krill Research Zone (KRZ) U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 4

5 Changes over time in proposal boundaries October 2012: Joint proposal October 2013: Major revision based on SC-CAMLR-SMI advice October 2015: Major revision based on SC-CAMLR-XXXII advice Adopted MPA (revised October 2015 during the CCAMLR meeting) U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 5

6 Protection objectives for the MPA The MPA protects a rich and productive ecosystem that, unlike most other ocean areas, has thriving, intact communities of top predators, including whales, seals, penguins, and seabirds. Partial list of the features and species protected by the MPA: Trophically dominant pelagic prey species Large-scale ecosystem processes Vulnerable marine ecosystems Adelie and emperor penguins Weddell Seals and Type C killer whales U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 6

7 Scientific research and monitoring Scientific objectives include: Promote research and monitoring focused on marine living resources Provide references areas for monitoring natural variability and long-term change For the SRZ, contribute to the toothfish tagging program and allow comparison with areas outside the MPA for gauging the effects of climate change and fishing Promote research and scientific understanding of krill in the KRZ as well as the SRZ U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 7

8 Management measures Zone Area Measures General Protection Zone (72% of the MPA) Balleny Islands and vicinity, continental shelf, continental slope, eastern Ross Sea, Scott Seamount, and seamounts associated with the Pacific Antarctic Ridge Fishing activities are prohibited in this zone, except for research fishing Special Research Zone (21% of the MPA) Krill Research Zone (7% of the MPA) continental slope northwestern Ross Sea region Harvest Antarctic toothfish up to 15% of the total annual catch limit of the Ross Sea region stock; provisions for fishing in this zone are set to expire at the end of 30 years Harvest Antarctic krill in accordance with the separate conservation measure regulating exploratory fishing for krill U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 8

9 Management measures (continued) Additional restrictions and requirements: Transhipments are prohibited throughout the MPA; Fishing and research vessels in the MPA are to avoid dumping or discharging of wastes or other matter in the MPA, and Flag states with fishing vessels entering the MPA must notify the CCAMLR Secretariat prior to the vessel s entry. Monitoring and surveillance: Tools include a centralized vessel monitoring system, international boarding and inspection of fishing vessels, and aerial and vessel patrol activities. Non-compliance will be reported to the vessel s flag state and referred to the CCAMLR compliance committee. U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 9

10 Periodic review of the MPA From CCAMLR-XXXII/BG/38, Rev 1 U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 10

11 Periodic Review of the MPA Do the MPA boundaries continue to adequately encompass the priority populations, features and areas included pursuant to the MPA objectives? What are the ecosystem roles of the identified habitats, processes, populations, life-history stages, or other priority features? How are the priority features potentially affected by fishing, climate change, environmental variability, or other impacts? Does the structure and function of the marine ecosystem differ between areas inside the MPA and areas outside the MPA, or do the populations or subpopulations of marine organisms that occur or forage inside the MPA differ from those that occur or forage outside the MPA? U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 11

12 Pending Activities Adoption of a research and monitoring plan for the MPA Opening of areas outside the MPA that are currently closed to fishing Courtesy: National Science Foundation U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 12

13 General Framework for the establishment of CCAMLR Marine Protected Areas MPAs to be established based on best available science MPAs should contribute to: Protection of representative examples of marine ecosystems, biodiversity and habitats Protection of key ecosystem processes, habitats and species Establishment of scientific reference areas for monitoring long term changes and effects of harvesting Protection of areas vulnerable to impact by human activities Protection of areas to maintain resilience or the ability to adapt to climate change effects Research and monitoring plan for an MPA must be adopted MPA must be reviewed every 10 years to evaluate effectiveness in achieving specific objectives of the MPA U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 13

14 MPA Planning Domains 1. Western Antarctic Peninsula South Scotia Arc 2. North Scotia Arc 3. Weddell Sea 4. Bouvet Maud 5. del Cano Crozet 6. Kerguelen Plateau 7. East Antarctica 8. Ross Sea region 9. Amundsen Bellingshausen U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 14

15 MPA efforts in the CCAMLR area U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 15

16 East Antarctica MPAs From CCAMLR-XXXV-15rev1 U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 16

17 Weddell Sea From CCAMLR-XXXV-18 U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 17

18 Contact information Mi Ae Kim Foreign Affairs Specialist Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection National Marine Fisheries Service U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 18