PROTECT ANTARCTICA'S OCEAN
10,000 species live in the arctic. Tell decision makers to protect Antarctica's Ocean!
The oceans around Antarctica are the only oceans on this earth still relatively untouched by human activity. They are home to almost 10,000 unique and diverse species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. But today the Antarctic waters are under threat. You can help us to ensure Antarctic Ocean habitats and wildlife are protected from human interference.
HOME TO ALMOST 10,000 UNIQUE SPECIES
The Antarctic oceans are an essential ecosystem for the survival of Adelie and emperor penguins, Antarctic petrels and minke whales, Ross Sea killer whales, colossal squid and Weddell seals, to name a few.
ESSENTIAL FOR SCIENCE
Antarctica's Southern Ocean is a critical laboratory for scientists studying the effects of climate change as the global impacts increase and threaten the region.
ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: A VISION FOR CIRCUMPOLAR PROTECTION
This latest research by AOA has identified over 40% of the Southern Ocean that warrants protection and the Alliance has called for the establishment of the world's largest network of Marine Protected Areas and no-take marine reserves to protect 19 key Antarctic marine habitats.
ROSS SEA: UNIQUE INTACT ECOSYSTEM
While other marine ecosystems are threatened and devastated by development, pollution, mining, oil drilling and overfishing, Antarctica's Ross Sea remains one of the most intact on the planet - the ocean equivalent of Africa's Great Plains.
TOOTHFISH: GOING, GOING, GONE?
As the world's oceans continue to run out of fish, due to decades of overfishing, more and more fishing vessels are traveling to remote areas such as Antarctica's Southern Ocean to fill their holds. Commercial harvesting, particularly of the slow-growing and long-lived Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish (also known as the Chilean sea bass) is rapidly on the rise. As well as threatening this pivotal species, the large-scale removal of toothfish would threaten the very balance of Antarctica's marine ecosystem.
FACTS FROM THE WILD SOUTH
The oceans around Antarctica are some of the most precious in the world. They're one of the last places on Earth still relatively untouched by human activity.
1.) "This beautiful, icy ocean environment is home to almost 10,000 species, many of which can be found nowhere else on the planet.
2.) Adelie and emperor penguins, Antarctic petrels and minke whales, Ross Sea killer whales, colossal squid and Weddell seals all thrive in this inhospitable climate.
3.) While many other marine ecosystems in other parts of the world have been devastated by development, pollution, mining, oil drilling and overfishing, Antarctica's Ross Sea remains the most intact marine ecosystem on the planet.
4.) About 70% of our earth's surface is ocean, yet less than 1% of it is fully protected from human development.
5.) 85% of the world's fisheries are classified as over exploited, fully exploited, depleted or recovering from depletion, so commercial fishing vessels are moving to remote waters such as Antarctica's in search of fish (according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation).
6.) Antarctica's species are now under increasing pressure from commercial fishing for the slow-growing and long-lived Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish, (also known in parts of the world as the Chilean sea bass). These toothfish have become an expensive delicacy, sold in high-end restaurants as well as speciality seafood markets, primarily in the United States, Japan and Europe."
7.) "Fishing by illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) vessels, often using "flags of convenience" is on the rise. In some parts of the Southern Ocean, unsustainable fishing methods such as deep sea gillnets are in use in some areas. These gillnets can reach more than 100 kilometres in length and are a threat to almost all marine life, including marine mammals and non-targeted fish species such as rays.
8.) Then there's krill - an essential part of the food chain that supports the region's whales, penguins, seals, fish and birdlife. Growing demand for krill as a health supplement and as food for fish farms has put it at risk. Climate change has already been linked to a significant decline in krill numbers - up to 80% in one region around the Scotia Sea (Atkinson et al 2004).
9.) Poor management and the large-scale removal of toothfish and species like krill would threaten the very balance of Antarctica's unique and fragile ocean ecosystems.
10.) In 1991, the international community made a courageous decision to protect the Antarctic region as a natural reserve for peace and science. This included a ban on mining but this protection does not extend to Antarctica's magnificent marine environment, leaving it at risk."
THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN ALLIANCE
The Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) is a coalition of leading environmental and conservation organisations working to establish a network of designated, no-take marine reserves and marine protected areas in the Antarctic. This will be the most comprehensive regime of its kind on the planet. With such a network in place, key Antarctic ocean habitats and wildlife would be protected from human interference.
10,000 species live in the arctic. Tell decision makers to protect Antarctica's Ocean!
The oceans around Antarctica are the only oceans on this earth still relatively untouched by human activity. They are home to almost 10,000 unique and diverse species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. But today the Antarctic waters are under threat. You can help us to ensure Antarctic Ocean habitats and wildlife are protected from human interference.
HOME TO ALMOST 10,000 UNIQUE SPECIES
The Antarctic oceans are an essential ecosystem for the survival of Adelie and emperor penguins, Antarctic petrels and minke whales, Ross Sea killer whales, colossal squid and Weddell seals, to name a few.
ESSENTIAL FOR SCIENCE
Antarctica's Southern Ocean is a critical laboratory for scientists studying the effects of climate change as the global impacts increase and threaten the region.
ANTARCTIC OCEAN LEGACY: A VISION FOR CIRCUMPOLAR PROTECTION
This latest research by AOA has identified over 40% of the Southern Ocean that warrants protection and the Alliance has called for the establishment of the world's largest network of Marine Protected Areas and no-take marine reserves to protect 19 key Antarctic marine habitats.
ROSS SEA: UNIQUE INTACT ECOSYSTEM
While other marine ecosystems are threatened and devastated by development, pollution, mining, oil drilling and overfishing, Antarctica's Ross Sea remains one of the most intact on the planet - the ocean equivalent of Africa's Great Plains.
TOOTHFISH: GOING, GOING, GONE?
As the world's oceans continue to run out of fish, due to decades of overfishing, more and more fishing vessels are traveling to remote areas such as Antarctica's Southern Ocean to fill their holds. Commercial harvesting, particularly of the slow-growing and long-lived Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish (also known as the Chilean sea bass) is rapidly on the rise. As well as threatening this pivotal species, the large-scale removal of toothfish would threaten the very balance of Antarctica's marine ecosystem.
FACTS FROM THE WILD SOUTH
The oceans around Antarctica are some of the most precious in the world. They're one of the last places on Earth still relatively untouched by human activity.
1.) "This beautiful, icy ocean environment is home to almost 10,000 species, many of which can be found nowhere else on the planet.
2.) Adelie and emperor penguins, Antarctic petrels and minke whales, Ross Sea killer whales, colossal squid and Weddell seals all thrive in this inhospitable climate.
3.) While many other marine ecosystems in other parts of the world have been devastated by development, pollution, mining, oil drilling and overfishing, Antarctica's Ross Sea remains the most intact marine ecosystem on the planet.
4.) About 70% of our earth's surface is ocean, yet less than 1% of it is fully protected from human development.
5.) 85% of the world's fisheries are classified as over exploited, fully exploited, depleted or recovering from depletion, so commercial fishing vessels are moving to remote waters such as Antarctica's in search of fish (according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation).
6.) Antarctica's species are now under increasing pressure from commercial fishing for the slow-growing and long-lived Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish, (also known in parts of the world as the Chilean sea bass). These toothfish have become an expensive delicacy, sold in high-end restaurants as well as speciality seafood markets, primarily in the United States, Japan and Europe."
7.) "Fishing by illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) vessels, often using "flags of convenience" is on the rise. In some parts of the Southern Ocean, unsustainable fishing methods such as deep sea gillnets are in use in some areas. These gillnets can reach more than 100 kilometres in length and are a threat to almost all marine life, including marine mammals and non-targeted fish species such as rays.
8.) Then there's krill - an essential part of the food chain that supports the region's whales, penguins, seals, fish and birdlife. Growing demand for krill as a health supplement and as food for fish farms has put it at risk. Climate change has already been linked to a significant decline in krill numbers - up to 80% in one region around the Scotia Sea (Atkinson et al 2004).
9.) Poor management and the large-scale removal of toothfish and species like krill would threaten the very balance of Antarctica's unique and fragile ocean ecosystems.
10.) In 1991, the international community made a courageous decision to protect the Antarctic region as a natural reserve for peace and science. This included a ban on mining but this protection does not extend to Antarctica's magnificent marine environment, leaving it at risk."
THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN ALLIANCE
The Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) is a coalition of leading environmental and conservation organisations working to establish a network of designated, no-take marine reserves and marine protected areas in the Antarctic. This will be the most comprehensive regime of its kind on the planet. With such a network in place, key Antarctic ocean habitats and wildlife would be protected from human interference.
