Improving the process for the establishment of marine protected areas by CCAMLR and Antarctic Treaty Parties

This paper examines the obligations upon the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) in respect of marine protected areas (MPAs) and some legal and administrative reasons why these two groups need to co-operate in the establishment and implementation of MPAs in the Southern Ocean. It also examines the current process for declaring MPAs in the areas of application of the Antarctic Treaty and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (the Convention) and suggests improvements, including the adoption of a "southern geographic reference line", to ensure the interactions between the Parties to those Agreements follow a mutually agreed, timely and efficient process.