The Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, recently unveiled its stance on setting up two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the chill depths of Antarctica. This decision underscores the nation’s dedication to safeguard the marine life inhabiting these regions and maintain the ecosystem services they provide.
The Role and Objective of Marine Protected Areas
MPAs are essentially regions demarcated for long-term conservation of fragile marine resources, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage. In these areas, a broad range of activities – from commercial fishing to cultural practices – may be curtailed or outright banned to achieve specific goals related to conservation, habitat protection, monitoring ecosystems, or managing fisheries. However, it’s important to note that MPAs don’t necessarily ban all human activities. Many of them function as multi-purpose regions allowing for various regulated activities such as research or fishing.
Why Antarctica Needs Marine Protected Areas
The Southern Ocean, which girdles Antarctica, covers around 10% of the world’s oceans and provides a home to nearly 10,000 exclusive polar species. Changes in climate are transforming habitats like sea ice and the secluded seafloor under the ice shelves, which support a variety of species. The commercial fishery industry currently harvests krill – tiny shrimp-like creatures – widely from this region for creating fish meal used in fish farming and nutritional supplements for humans. The escalated harvesting of krill poses a threat to multiple animal species like whales, seals, penguins, fish, and other seabirds that rely on them for sustenance. A recent study in 2022 analyzing over four decades of krill fishery data showed the highest krill fishing rates in regions near the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the South Orkney Islands. Therefore, to minimize the toll of climate change and excessive fishing on this valuable region, MPAs are a necessity.
The Existing Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica
The Southern Ocean currently has two Marine Protected Areas: one on the southern shelf of the South Orkney Islands, and the other in the Ross Sea. However, these only fully protect approximately 5% of the ocean. Fishing, barring scientific research, and discharges from fishing vessels are outrightly prohibited within the MPA of the South Orkney Islands. In the Ross Sea MPA, about 72% of the waters are off-limits to commercial fishing.
Various proposals for additional MPAs have been put forth – one each by the European Union and Australia in East Antarctica, one by the EU and Norway in the Weddell Sea, and another by Chile and Argentina around the Antarctic Peninsula. In 2021, India voiced its support to designate East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea as MPAs. However, reportedly, these efforts have been thwarted by China and Russia at the 41st annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
Understanding Krill: The Tiny Titans of the Marine Ecosystem
Krill are minuscule, shrimp-like crustaceans found across all the world’s oceans. They play a critical role in maintaining marine food chains, helping feed a myriad of species including fish, birds, and whales. Usually, krill measure between 1 and 6 centimeters long, distinguished by their large eyes, a transparent body, and elongated, feathery antennae. Beyond just being a source of nourishment for many marine creatures, krill are also crucial agents in combating climate change. They aid in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it deep in the ocean.
