Managing Antarctic Marine Living Resources: The CCAMLR Approach

Abstract

This paper documents the experiences of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in developing, and implementing, its fisheries conservation and management measures. Examples are given to show how the provisions of Article II of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention) have been applied in practice. Generally, these provisions strive for an ecosystem-based and precautionary approach to the management of harvested and non-harvested species. Emphasis is given to the development of management measures to deal with: (a) uncertainty associated with new and exploratory fisheries, (b) reduction and elimination (i.e. minimisation) of seabird bycatch in longline fisheries, (c) trade-related measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing on CCAMLR species, and (d) general environmental protection. CCAMLR's achievements are evaluated, potential threats to its future effectiveness are identified and some possible counteractions are offered.

Promoting responsible harvesting by mitigating IUU fishing: a three-block and OODA construct?

“…(6). 139 The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) 140 has long promoted CCAMLR's precautionary and ecosystems-based management approach 141 which is central to the latter's regulatory regime.…”

“…'ghost fishing' 46 ). 47 Consequently, IUU fishing can be categorised as insidious, unfair and unsustainable, since it compounds uncertainty and downgrades the sustainable management of affected stocks. 48 Moreover, key fishery (e.g.…”

Adapting to Regional Enforcement: Fishing Down the Governance Index

“…combined with the dedicated work by members (Contracting Parties: CPs) of the regional management body (CCAMLR) provides a valuable platform for studying the dynamics of IUU fishing and strategies employed by vessel owners and operators to maintain their resilience to actions taken by flag states, port states and countries with nationals involved in such fishing. Toothfish stocks are concentrated around Sub-Antarctic islands in the Southern Ocean and a number of CCAMLR CPs are involved in regulated fisheries for toothfish, which has provided a strong incentive for them to reduce IUU fishing [13], [18], [19], [20], [21].…”

Experimental activities that intentionally perturb the marine environment: Implications for the marine environmental protection and marine scientific research provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

“…This fundamental MEP obligation is increasingly considered as having become a norm of customary international law, and as such it would also be binding on states that are not parties to UNCLOS [3, p. 107; 4, p. 167]. Other legally binding, globally and regionally applicable treaties complement, enhance and implement the MEP provisions of UNCLOS; these include treaties addressing activities in the Area, 6 fishing on the high seas, 7 shipping, 8 9 and protecting and conserving various living-including marine-resources. 10 Regional marine environmental conventions, 11 many with protocols addressing specific marine activities and subjects in detail, together cover most of the ocean at the regional level.…”

“…74-75; 80-81], 15 monitoring [9,11, pp. 48, 74-75; 77-80], 16 and specifying changes to make such activities environmentally more sustainable [9,12], as well as outright prohibition of certain activities [11, p. 97]. 17 Under UNCLOS, MSR is specifically subject to the MEP regime: MSR ''shall be conducted in compliance with all relevant regulations adopted in conformity with this convention including those for the protection and preservation of the marine environment.''…”