The project objective is to strengthen multilateral cooperation in ecosystem-based management of the Antarctic Large Marine Ecosystem (ALME) through supporting national-level institutional strengthening and building the capacity of GEF-eligible countries to meet their marine resource management commitments and obligations under the intergovernmental Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, (CCAMLR) to help ensure sustainable ALME fisheries in the context of climate variability and change.
The Southern Ocean surrounds the continent of Antarctica and together they cover an estimated 20% of the planet's surface area or 10% of high seas areas in global oceans. Antarctica harbors 90% of the world's ice by volume and 70% of the world's freshwater. The Southern Ocean is delimited by the Antarctic Polar Front (APF) which forms where the cold Antarctic waters meet warmer waters to the north.
The Southern Ocean supports a rich and unique diversity of species, and the isolation and harsh conditions of the sea around Antarctica has resulted in a high degree of endemism that approaches 90% in taxonomic groups such as sponges, crustacean, and molluscs. Over 25% of the 200 species of Antarctic finfish are only found south of the 60s. Many of the species of zooplankton, fish, squid, benthic invertebrates, seals, whales and birds that inhabit this environment have evolved unique physiological mechanisms to cope with the extreme cold and narrow temperature ranges.
The Antarctic LME is a Class II, moderately productive ecosystem. Human exploitation of the living marine resources of the Southern Ocean is responsible for the collapse of a number of populations of marine species.
There is consequently an increasing urgency to build or improve existing knowledge bases on ecosystem structure and functioning across the Southern Ocean, particularly as varying levels of historic exploitation are likely to provide a graded series of responses of circumpolar systems across different longitudinal sectors. Such endeavors require long-term commitment to research and monitoring and will have to involve international multidisciplinary co-operation.
The project is aimed to strengthen multilateral cooperation with focused capacity building support (technical, policy, and institutional) provided to selected CCAMLR member states to further promote an ecosystem-based approach to the management of the ALME through the implementation of CCAMLR.
The project has the following components:
1. Multinational cooperation in the ecosystem-based management and monitoring of the ALME.
2. Building analytical capacity to support ecosystem-based management of the ALME.
3. Demonstrations for the adaptive management of the ALME.
4. Knowledge management, communications of best practices and lessons learnt.
In particular, improving the quality of knowledge available is seen critical to support sound decision-making in CCAMLR. The improved understanding of the Southern Oceans globally significant, often unique, biodiversity will also lead to improved conservation efforts and management effectiveness. Knowledge acquired through the project can be applied to limit adverse effects from emerging economic activities, such as tourism, and manage these activities in a more sustainable manner.
Progress reports
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Large Marine Ecosystem approach
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
Type of commitment
- Compliance, monitoring and enforcement
- Ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Data access and sharing
- Training and professional development
- Scientific cooperation
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Type of commitment
- Activities to raise awareness of the comprehensive legal and policy framework for the sustainable development of oceans and seas, in particular UNCLOS, its Implementing Agreements and other relevant ocean-related instruments and promote their effective im
- Other (please specify): Promote effective implementation of CCAMLR through strengthening technical, policy and institutional capacity of 5 selected CCAMLR member states.
December 2022
Increased participation by the 5 countries in management, monitoring and multilateral collaborative processes for the ALME.
December 2022
Increased technical capacity of the 5 countries to engage in, and contribute to, multilateral conservation and management processes associated with the ALME
December 2022
Improved knowledge of ALME required to effectively promote the ecosystem-based management and sustainable fisheries in ALME
December 2022
Enhanced collaboration in monitoring activiies in ALME
