An enormous area in Antarctica, home to most of the world's penguins and killer whales, has been declared the world's largest marine park. The UN's Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources sealed the landmark international agreement after five years of negotiations. Twenty-four nations and the European Union agreed unanimously to declare more than 1.5 million square km of the Ross Sea in Antarctica, Marine Protected Area, protecting it from commercial fishing.
The Ross Sea's significance in sustaining ecological biodiversity makes it the much-deserved space for the world's first international marine park. Here is why it is critical to save the Ross Sea:
1. Hotspot of biodiversity: Often referred to as the polar 'garden of Eden', the Ross Sea is home to a large number of Adélie and emperor penguins, Weddell seals, orca, killer and minke whales, small fishes and large predatory fish. The Ross Sea is believed to be the last intact marine ecosystem on earth. There are over 40 species endemic to the region, and family of fishes like the plunder fishes are said to have originated here.
2. Scientific research: Since its discovery in 1841, the Ross Sea has been a subject of extensive research and exploration. The Ross Sea has one of the longest histories of scientific research in the Southern Ocean, with records dating back to over 170 years. This includes 50 years of continuous records of marine hydrography, seal demographics, Adélie and Emperor penguin population change, and records of changes in Antarctic toothfish populations. Its unique ecological and climatic factors makes it an ideal location for studying origin of various marine species and the biological effects of climate change on the region and the planet.
3. Commercial fishing: The Ross Sea provides habitat to the Antarctic toothfish, a crucial predator in the region's food web. These fish, which are marketed in some parts of the world as Chilean sea bass, are highly priced by the commercial fishing industry. Toothfish numbers have dropped due to fishing of mature toothfish. This can have a significant impact on penguins and other predator species by altering food availability. The sea is also home to the Antarctic krill, a small crustacean that swims near the water's surface, making it easier to catch them. Much of the krill is used for aquaculture and also for human consumption. Countries like Russia and China have huge fishing fleets in the Southern Ocean. With the new agreement in place, about 72 per cent of the marine protected area will be a no-take zone, which forbids all fishing, while other sections will permit some harvesting of fish and krill for scientific research.
