It was announced today it is the largest marine park ever created in the world: one in the Ross sea, in the Antarctic Ocean. It is a huge win for whales, penguins, and cod from the antarctic that live there and for the millions of people that are on the side of the oceans. It is the result reached after five years of compromises and negotiations failed, by the Commission for the conservation of marine living resources of Antarctica (Ccamlr) which concluded on Friday, the annual meeting in two weeks to Hobart, Tasmania.
For years, Greenpeace, the Antarctic Ocean Alliance and millions of people in the world have asked governments to do the right thing, thinking that sooner or later this request was finally accepted. Year after year, there was always something wrong with it. But this year all the members of CCAMLR have agreed that the time has come to make the Ross Sea a protected area. The Sanctuary of the Ross Sea is the largest protected reserve in the world, with a surface area of 1,550. 000 km2 (an area roughly three times bigger than Texas, 2 times to Spain, or as Mongolia), which will be fully protected about three quarters.
Known as "the last Ocean, the Ross Sea has been recognized by scientists as the last portion of the ocean untouched. It is fantastic that this area has finally found a suitable protection. To reach the agreement was signed, a clause which lays down a term of the agreement, to 35 years, thus the members of CCAMLR will be back to comment on this area in the future. Will be protected more than 1.5 million square kilometers of the Ross Sea, including the 1.1 million sq km, equal to the combined area of France and Spain, which are reserved as "protection zone-general", with an absolute ban on fishing. The protection will not reduce the total amount of catch allowed in the Ross Sea, but take away the vessels from the habitat, the crucial close to the continent itself.
security was considered urgent because of the importance, for the natural resources of the entire planet, the Southern Ocean, which is estimated to produce about three-quarters of the nutrients that support life in the rest of the oceans. The waters that surround Antarctica are among the most pristine in the world, but are also among the most vulnerable and the arm of iron on their fate went on for a long time.
it is significant that the security agreed upon, ending in 35 years, a compromise reached after five years of negotiations failed because of the opposition of China and Russia, which have intense activity of fishing in the region. The definition of a marine area, according to the World Conservation Union requires that it be permanent. The protection also will not decrease the total amount that will be allowed to fish in the Ross Sea, but take the porcherecci off of the habitats crucial close to the continent.
"today’s agreement marks a turning point for the protection of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean," said the scientific director of WWF Australia, Chris Johnson. "It is important not only for the incredible diversity of life that it will be protected, but also for the contribution to the resilience of the oceans of the globe in front of climate change," he added. The Ross Sea is a deep bay, which many scientists believe is the last marine ecosystem remained intact on the Earth – a living laboratory ideal for studying life in Antarctica and the effects of climate change on the planet.
In the Antarctic Ocean, there are more than 10,000 species, including most of the penguins of the world, whales, sea birds, and squid is colossal and the austromerluzzi, who are the main target of the fishing vessels operating in this region to the borders of the world. This year has been incredible for the protection of the oceans. The victory of the Ross Sea comes immediately after the decision of Obama to expand The National Monument Marine Papahanaumokuakea, which had been – at least so far – the largest protected marine area in the world. A few days before, Obama had already done something exceptional in recognizing the first Monument in the National Marine of the Atlantic, to protect the canyons, and underwater mountains!
other nations have taken some steps – such as Chile, which has created a marine protected area around the island of Easter, or the United Kingdom, which has committed to creating belts of protection "Blue belts" around its overseas territories. Although they may be large these Shrines, the Oceans are still vast. Despite the commitment of the international Union for Conservation and Nature, this summer he decided that it is necessary to protect the 30% of our oceans by the year 2030, the road to reach this goal is long. Greenpeace is campaigning for an even more ambitious goal: that 40% of our oceans become Sanctuaries are fully protected.
The science is clear: the marine sanctuaries are essential to protect biodiversity, rebuild fish populations, and increase the resilience of oceans to climate change. A long battle like the one that today has led to the victory of the Ross Sea, they do not only need a good scientific basis, but of millions of people who are felt to defend the seas and oceans. Without your voices, even the best scientific justification would have been too weak to break narrow interests and short-term lobby of commercial fishing.
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