The following is a list of 19 Areas Proposed for Protection by environmental groups (Source: www.antarcticocean.org)
1. Antarctic Peninsula
MPA proposal in early stages of development
- Climate change reference area
- Highest levels of human activity and impact
- Antarctic krill are considered central to the functioning of the Southern Ocean food web but may be particular sensitive to a changing climate
- Bone-eating worms were first observed here in 2012
2. Weddell Sea
MPA proposal in early stages of development
Highly productive area
Climate change reference areas during retreat of sea ice / ice shelves
Glass sponges have quickly colonized areas following ice shelf collapse
Leopard seals are one of Southern Ocean’s most fearsome predators
3. South Orkney Islands
In 2009, CCAMLR established the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf MPA, a region covering 94,000 km2 in the South Atlantic.
-High benthic biodiversity
-Declining numbers of chinstrap and Adélie penguins
-Marbled rockcod populations have still not recovered from overfishing in the 1970s
-Home to some of the highest numbers of Echinoderm species
4. South Georgia Islands
-Rare seamount habitats
-Penguin and albatross foraging ranges
-Members of the icefish family are almost entirely lacking in hemoglobin in their blood
-Salps’ feces may play an important role in transporting nutrients to the deep sea
5. South Sandwich Islands Arc
-Volcanic activity associated habitats
-Breeding grounds for land-based predators
-The Yeti crab is a common species around hydrothermal vent communities in volcanically active zones
-More species of sea spiders may exist in the Southern Ocean than in warmer oceans
6. Maud Rise
-Area of high productivity for krill
-Shelf to basin biodiversity including seamounts, canyons, ridges and plateaus
-Foraging ground for Antarctic petrels, the most southerly breeding bird in the world.
-Copepods could be the most numerous type of zooplankton in the Southern Ocean
7. Bouvet Island
-Unique benthic environment with mid-ocean ridge rift valleys, fracture zones and seamounts
-Breeding and foraging area for land based predators
-Chinstrap penguin numbers appear to be declining
-Eel cods resemble eels but have antifreeze proteins in their blood such as toothfish
8. Ob and Lena Banks
-Recovering populations of toothfish
-Rare seamount habitats
-Skates are common bycatch species listed as near threatened by the IUCN
-Blue whales are recovering from hunting much more slowly than other whale species
9. Del Cano Region High Seas Area
-High levels of land-based predators
-Benthic environment including seamounts and canyons
-Populations of wandering albatross, which have the largest wingspan of any bird
10. Kerguelen Plateau High Seas Area
-The Grand Banks of the Southern Ocean
-Lanternfish use bioluminescence to communicate and confuse predators
-Orcas are the highest predator on the Southern -Ocean foodchain
-Recovering toothfish populations
-Vulnerable marine ecosystems and canyons
11. Banzare Bank
-Recovering toothfish populations
-Vulnerable marine ecosystems and canyons
-Grenediers are common bycatch in toothfish fisheries
12. Kerguelen Production Zone
-Rugose seabed habitats
-Area of high productivity
-Antarctic fur seals primarily hunt krill and fish
Eastern Antarctic Coastal Region
Current MPA Proposal
Areas of high productivity
Climate change reference areas
Emperor penguins are the most ice dependent penguin species
Snow petrels are one of the most southerly breeding birds
Indian Ocean Benthic Environment
Unique benthic habitats including troughs, shelf commencing canyons, ridges and thermohaline current formed sediments
Anemones can be found in the deepest parts of the Southern Ocean
Ross Sea
Current MPA Proposal
Intact top predator assemblage
Climate change reference area
Silverfish are highly important prey for higher predators
Antarctic toothfish fill a shark-like top fish predator role in the Southern Ocean
Bending coral (Alcyonacean, Gersemia Antarctica) continually bends itself over to locate food in seafloor sediments
One of the least disturbed oceanic ecosystems
Northern Ross Sea Seamounts
Toothfish breeding habitat
Benthic biodiversity
The colossal squid is the largest known invertebrate
Balleny Islands
Land-based predator foraging ranges
Adelie penguins are seen as a bell weather species for environmental change
Antarctic Minke whales feed mainly on krill
Rare benthic habitat
Amundsen and Belllingshausen Seas (West Antarctic Shelf)
Climate change reference areas
Recognized vulnerable marine ecosystems
195 species of Antarctic mollusks have been found since 2007
Antarctic mollusks are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification
Peter I Island
Area of high productivity
Pacific Basin, De Gerlache, Belgica Guyot and Lecointe Seamounts
Weddell seals dive to 600 meters to feed on deep dwelling toothfish
Antarctic fulmars breed later due to climate change
96 - SEVENSEAS