CCAMLR MPAs and the global climate and biodiversity crisis

The world is in a global climate and biodiversity crisis. Multiple international targets call for a global network of MPAs to curb biodiversity loss, and both the first and second CCAMLR Performance Review Panels (2008 and 2017, respectively) made recommendations for CCAMLR to advance its MPA work. Nearly two decades since MPA discussions began, there are significant gaps in the system of CCAMLR MPAs. This has implications not only for the conservation of marine life in the Convention Area but also in addressing the global climate and biodiversity crisis. ASOC calls on CCAMLR to realize the bulk of a representative system of MPAs by 2020, specifically recommending that CCAMLR:

1. Acknowledges the climate and biodiversity crisis and commits to adopting well-designed robust MPAs which have no duration and significant no-take regions.
2. Adopts the EAMPA proposal without a duration now, including MacRobertson, Drygalski and D’Urville Sea-Mertz areas.
3. Adopts Phase 1 of the WSMPA in 2019, and adopts Phase 2 no later than 2023. Neither Phase 1 or Phase 2 should have a duration.
4. Adopts a D1MPA with without a duration in 2019, including the extension of no-take zones to all areas previously identified as critical to ensure conservation objectives are met.
5. Develops MPAs in un-represented regions of the Convention Area, including Domain 9.