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The Last Ocean, an update

a major marine reserve is being considered for the Ross Sea

Author: Hugh Bollinger/Saturday, July 13, 2013/Categories: natural history, marine mammals, sustainability, environment

Recently, Riled Up discussed a major marine conservation proposal in our post, The Last Ocean . An international commission has now gathered in Germany that will determine the fate of the proposed reserves for the Ross Sea off Antarctica. The Ross Sea teams with life. It is considered the "last ocean" as it has received little industrial fishing and its populations of fish and other wildlife still remains high. If approved, the reserves will assist the sustainability of fish populations, birds, and marine mammals elsewhere.

Meeting in Bremerhaven, Germany the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) will vote on two proposals for marine fishing reserves, each larger than the state of Alaska.

According to Evan Bloom, the US representative to the Antarctic Treaty Convention created in 1959: "This could be a historic first step leading to more marine reserves in other places."

Proposed Ross Sea Marine Reserves
(credit: ESRI)

Ross Sea, The Last Ocean (credit: MountainFilm/SWP Media)

At this point, it is unknown how the voting on the reserves will turn out. Certain nations aren't known for the sustainability of their fishing practices but hopefully the consensus for conservation, governing Antarctica since the original treaty was negotiated in 1959, will prevail.

That would make for a good update indeed.

WHB

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Tags: wildlife conservation Ross Sea marine reserves marine mammal conservation Antarctic wildlife conservation Antarctic Treaty ocean sustainability