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title: "Antarctica's Ross Sea may become a Marine Protected Area"
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# Antarctica's Ross Sea may become a Marine Protected Area

The Ross Sea is regarded as one of the very few substantially unaltered large (650 000 km²) marine ecosystems left in the World.  For some time suggestions have been made by scientists and advocacy groups (such as [The Last Ocean Charitable Trust](http://www.lastocean.co.nz/)) for its improved protection.  The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources ([CCAMLR](http://www.ccamlr.org/)), is set to consider the issue at its annual meeting in Hobart, Australia next month, following a proposal for a Marine Protected Area being led by New Zealand (which also has had fishing vessels for Antarctic Toothfish *Dissostichus mawsoni*in the area since 1996/97).

 The Ross Sea supports several species of ACAP-listed species in their foraging ranges, notably the Black-browed *Thalassarche melanophris* and Light-mantled Sooty *Phoebetria palpebrata* Albatrosses and the Southern Giant Petrel *Macronectes giganteus*.

 You can read more on this contentious proposal at [http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5768227/NZ-to-veto-total-protection-of-Ross-Sea](http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5768227/NZ-to-veto-total-protection-of-Ross-Sea).

 For a preservationist view recently expressed by a distinguished Antarctic and sub-Antarctic scientist go to [http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2011/09/09/ross-sea-should-nz-seek-protection-for-the-last-ocean/](http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2011/09/09/ross-sea-should-nz-seek-protection-for-the-last-ocean/).  Also [Click here](http://www.asoc.org/storage/documents/Meetings/ATCM/XXXIV/The_Ross_Sea-__A_Valuable_Reference_Area_to_Assess_the_Effects_of_Climate_Change.pdf) for a paper entitled "The Ross Sea: a valuable reference area to assess the effects of climate change" submitted by the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition ([ASOC](http://asoc.org/issues-and-advocacy/ross-sea-preservation)[)](http://asoc.org/issues-and-advocacy/ross-sea-preservation) to this year's Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/L/Light_mantled/Light-mantled_albatross_by_Aleks_Terauds.jpg "Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses visit the Ross Sea.  Photograph by Aleks Terauds")

 **Selected publications on the avifauna and conservation of the Ross Sea:**

 Ainley, D.G. 2002. The Ross Sea: where all ecosystem processes still remain for study, but maybe not for long.  [*Marine Ornithology*30: 55-62](http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/30_2/1_ainley.pdf).

 Ainley, D.G. 2010.  A history of the exploitation of the Ross Sea, Antarctica.  [*Polar Record*46: 233-243](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7716280).

 Ainley, D.G., O'Connor, E.F. & Boekelheide, R.J. 1984.  The marine ecology of birds in the Ross Sea, Antarctica.  *Ornithological Monographs* 32: 1-97.

  *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 October 2011*

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