ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: PROTECTION FOR THE EAST ANTARCTIC CoaSTAL REGION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In October 2011, the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) seals and whales. The East Antarctic coastal region also proposed the creation of a network of marine protected contains large seafloor and oceanographic features areas (MPAs) and marine reserves in 19 specific areas found nowhere else on the planet. in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica1. This report, The AOA offers this report to assist in designating Antarctic Ocean Legacy: Protection for the East marine reserves and MPAs in the East Antarctic coastal Antarctic Coastal Region, outlines a vision for marine region. This is the third in a series of “Antarctic Ocean protection in the East Antarctic, one of the key regions Legacy” proposals from the AOA5 6. previously identified by the AOA. This report describes the geography, oceanography Currently, only approximately 1% of the world’s oceans and ecology of this area. The AOA acknowledges the are protected from human interference, yet international scientists and governments that have studied the region agreements on marine protection suggest that this and welcomes and gives support to the proposal that number should be far higher2 3 4. has been submitted for marine protection in the East Antarctic by Australia, France and the EU, but is cautious The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic that constant vigilance and additional marine reserves Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the body that will be required to ensure that the conservation values of manages the marine living resources of the Southern the proposal are not compromised in the future. Ocean (with the exception of whales and seals), has set a target date of 2012 for establishing the initial areas in The AOA proposes that in addition to the seven areas a network of Antarctic MPAs. referenced by Australia, France and the EU, four additional areas also be considered for protection in One of the key places for which the AOA seeks the coming years. A network MPAs and marine reserves protection is the East Antarctic coastal region. This encompassing these additional areas and those remote area, while vastly understudied, is home to a proposed by Australia, France and the EU would span significant proportion of the Southern Ocean’s penguins approximately 2,550,000 square kilometres. AOA indicative map of a representative network of marine protected areas and marine reserves in the Southern Ocean. 1 Antarctic Peninsula South Africa 2 Weddell Sea 3 South Orkney Islands Bouvetoya 7 Prince Edward 4 South Georgia Island 5 South Georgia 9 5 South Sandwich Islands Arc 4 8 6 6 Maud Rise 3 Argentina South Orkney Islands 7 Kerguelen Bouvetøya South Island Shetland 13 10 Islands Weddell Sea 8 Ob & Lena Banks Heard and Mcdonald 2 Islands 1 12 9 Del Cano Region High Seas Prydz Bay 11 Antarctica 13 10 Kerguelen Plateau High Seas Area 14 19 11 BANZARE Bank 14 12 Kerguelen Production Zone 18 13 15 13 East Antarctic Coastal Region Ross Sea 14 14 Indian Ocean Benthic Environment 16 17 15 Ross Sea Balleny Islands 14 16 Pacific Seamounts 17 Balleny Islands Australia 18 Amundsen & Belllingshausen Seas (West Antarctic Shelf) New Zealand 19 Peter I Island 2 ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: PROTECTION FOR THE EAST ANTARCTIC CoaSTAL REGION The remote East Antarctic coastal region is home to a significant proportion of the Southern Ocean’s penguins, seals and whales and contains large seafloor and oceanographic features found nowhere else on the planet. Image by John B. Weller. Because the East Antarctic coastal Currently, only region is “data-poor”, the AOA plan ABOUT THE ANtaRCTIC is based on the application of the approximately 1% of OCEAN ALLIANCE precautionary approach, one of the world’s oceans The Antarctic Ocean Alliance the core concepts at the centre of are protected from is an international coalition CCAMLR’s mandate. human interference, yet of leading environmental and This proposal includes: conservation organisations international agreements and philanthropists from 1. A representative sample of on marine protection around the world including the biological features at the species, suggest that this number Antarctic and Southern Ocean habitat and ecosystem scale to Coalition (ASOC), Blue Marine ensure broad scale protection. should be far higher. Foundation (UK), Deepwave (Germany), ECO (NZ), Forest 2. Areas of protection large enough The designation of a network of and Bird (NZ), Greenovation to encompass broad foraging Hub (China), Greenpeace, large-scale MPAs and marine Humane Society International, areas for whales, seals, penguins reserves in the East Antarctic International Fund for Animal and other seabirds. coastal region would be an Welfare (IFAW), International important and inspirational step for 3. Protection of many of the Polar Foundation, International marine protection in the Southern region’s polynyas, which are Programme on the State of Ocean. CCAMLR Members have sources of food for many the Ocean (IPSO), Korean an unprecedented opportunity species. Federation for Environmental to establish a network of marine Movement (KFEM), The Last 4. Protection of unique geomorphic reserves and MPAs an order of Ocean, Mission Blue (US), features, including the Gunnerus magnitude greater than anything Oceans 5 (US), Whale and Ridge, Bruce Rise, a trough accomplished before. With such Dolphin Conservation Society mouth fan off Prydz Bay, various a network in place, key Southern (WDCS) and WWF. Associate seamounts and representative Ocean habitats and wildlife, partners include Oceana, areas of shelf, slope and abyssal including those unique to the East Natural Resources Defense ecoregions. Antarctic coastal region, would Council (NRDC) and other be protected from the impacts of groups worldwide. 5. Full protection of Prydz Bay, an human activities. area that supports large numbers of seabirds and mammals as well The AOA submits that with visionary as likely nursery grounds for krill political leadership, CCAMLR can and toothfish. grasp this opportunity and take meaningful steps to protect critical 6. Protecting areas of scientific elements of the world’s oceans that importance that may serve as are essential for the lasting health climate reference areas. of the planet. ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: PROTECTION FOR THE EAST ANTARCTIC CoaSTAL REGION 3 CONTENTS Image © Greenpeace / Jiri Rezac. Introduction 5 Definition of the East Antarctic Coastal Region 7 Birds and Mammals of the East Antarctic Coastal Region 8 Dronning Maud (West Indian) Region 10 Central Indian Region 12 – West Kerguelen Subregion 12 – Prydz Bay Subregion 12 – East Kerguelen Subregion 15 – Wilkes Subregion 15 Oates (East Indian) Region 16 Threats 18 Opportunity at CCAMLR 21 Proposals for Marine Protection 22 Acknowledgements 24 References 25 Adélie penguins on ice. Image © Greenpeace / Roger Grace. 4 ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: PROTECTION FOR THE EAST ANTARCTIC CoaSTAL REGION INTRODUCTION Image © Greenpeace / Jiri Rezac. THE EAST ANtaRCTIC COAStaL REGION The East Antarctic coastal region comprises an ecosystem that has been shaped by grand features and processes. The Eastern Antarctic Ice Sheet flows off the Antarctic continent into the Southern Ocean, an icy surface abruptly giving way to the marine environment. Coastal currents, like the Prydz Bay Gyre, mingle with the expansive fronts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, a clockwise current that circulates the continent. Coastal polynyas, areas of open water amidst the sea ice, form up and down the coast of East Antarctica. Further offshore is the Cosmonaut Polynya, one of only two major open ocean polynyas currently in the Southern Ocean. Millennia of glacial streams have carved deep canyons into the continental shelf and slope all along the East Antarctic coastal region. In the eastern stretches of the region, the Gunnerus Ridge rises from the depths, with a seamount off its northern end. In the central region of the East Antarctic, the Bruce Rise forms one of only two marginal plateaus in the Southern Ocean. Off the continental shelf of Prydz Bay, a large trough mouth fan and a myriad of associated canyons form a unique habitat. Along the shores of the East Antarctic, millions of seals and seabirds make their home, feeding mostly on Antarctic and crystal krill as well as silverfish. The East Antarctic supports many colonies of Adélie and emperor penguins, the latter of which have been rapidly decreasing in recent years7. Leopard and crabeater seals pup on the pack ice just offshore. Other birds, seals and whales come to feed in the region’s waters, especially Prydz Bay. The bay also supports nursery grounds for krill and Antarctic toothfish, the Crabeater seal. Image by Cassandra Brooks. top piscine predator in the Southern Ocean8 9. East Antarctica is a large region and while some areas and features The region’s unique oceanographic have been well studied, others remain enveloped in mystery. and seafloor features coupled with Scientists are still trying to understand the dynamics between the oceanography and the seafloor environment and define the its biological value to seabirds, seals species that live there. Because of the overall lack of information and other animals make the East about the East Antarctic coastal region, scientists and managers consider it a “data-poor” region. Nonetheless, the region’s unique Antarctic coastal region a prime oceanographic and seafloor features coupled with its biological area for protection. value to seabirds, seals and other animals make the East Antarctic coastal region a prime area for protection. ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: PROTECTION FOR THE EAST ANTARCTIC CoaSTAL REGION 5 CANDIDatE FOR MARINE To be effective, MPAs and marine reserves PROTECTION must be large enough to encompass and protect key ecological processes and The marine life of the East Antarctic the life cycle of the species living there12. coastal region is managed by the A group of large MPAs and reserves that Commission for the Conservation of connect ocean processes across space Antarctic Marine Living Resources and over time in the East Antarctic is the (CCAMLR)10.