At last protection for paradise

New Zealand and US can finally create the world’s largest marine reserve, as Laura Walters reports.

What is described by scientists as the last almost untouched paradise, is now the world’s largest marine reserve.

Antarctica’s Ross Sea region – often referred to as the Serengeti of Antarctica – is home to penguins, all manner of seals, whales, fish and sea birds.

The Ross Sea makes up only 2 per cent of the geographic area of the Southern Ocean but hosts 50 per cent of the population of Ross Sea killer whales, 40 per cent of the world’s adelie penguins, 30 per cent of Antarctic petrels, a quarter of the world’s emperor penguins and about 6 per cent of the global number of Antarctic minke whales.

The sea also contributes almost 30 per cent of the primary productivity of the Southern Ocean.

These weird and wonderful species will now be protected after four years of negotiations, led by New Zealand and the United States, has culminated in an agreement by the 25 members who control the fate of Antarctica.

Russia and Ukraine have torpedoed the proposal to create the marine reserve during past annual meetings of the 24 countries and the European Union, which make up the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

But yesterday, after four years of negotiations, the 25 members made a unanimous decision to create the reserve. It will include a marine protected area (MPA), spanning 1.6 million square kilometres. Three-quarters of that site would be a no-fishing zone.

The MPA is set to protect rare and vulnerable species including sponges that live for up to 500 years.

In 1996, the first fishing boats came crashing through the ice in search of the Antarctic toothfish and never looked back.

Once the species has been renamed Chilean sea bass, it is snatched up by American supermarkets for $600 apiece.

Now the much sought-after toothfish will be protected as part of the marine reserve and future sustainable fishing programmes, including tagging of toothfish.

Krill is also protected in the special research and krill research zones, which allow limited fishing for research purposes.

As well as fish and mammals, the marine reserve encompasses breathtaking habitats, including the Ross Sea shelf and slope, the Balleny Islands, and a seamount range – a feature often referred to as an underwater mountain range.

Antarctic ecologist Dr David Ainley said the importance of the protection in the Ross Sea could not be underestimated.

The data collected from this ‘‘living laboratory’’ was better known than any other stretch of water in the Southern Ocean, and helped us understand the significant changes taking place on Earth now, Ainley said.

‘‘It is one of the most pristine marine ecosystems left on the planet and is home to many species found nowhere else on Earth.’’

Ainley, along with other conservationists, is hailing the CCAMLR’s decision to finally agree to put in place the marine reserve twice the size of Texas.

McCully said the final decision to create the reserve was unanimous, though the original proposal required ‘‘some changes’’ in order to gain the support of all 25 members.

‘‘New Zealand has played a leading role in reaching this agreement, which makes a significant contribution to global marine protection,’’ he said.

The final deal balanced marine protection, sustainable fishing and science interests. The boundaries of the MPAs remained unchanged.

New Zealand and the US have been pushing for a marine reserve since 2012, but such decisions require a consensus.

Negotiations have been complicated because the proposed area was situated in the high seas where no one nation has control. Russia and Ukraine had torpedoed the annual talks in the past.

The marine reserve will come into force on December 1, 2017.