Campaigns to Protect Antarctica

ASOC participates in campaigns to raise awareness of key issues and environmental problems in the Antarctic.  Our major campaigns for 2009 are:

Strengthening the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary:  ASOC supports ending the scientific whaling exemption in the Southern Ocean. 

Protecting the Ross Sea:  ASOC strongly urges that the Ross Sea be made into a Marine Protected Area (MPA) so that this last pristine marine habitat will be permanently protected from exploration and development.

Southern Ocean Vessel Safety:   As shipping traffic increases in Antarctic waters, ASOC encourages the strengthening of vessel safety and environmental standards to avoid harm to the Antarctic environment. (Page under construction).

Antarctic Krill Conservation Project:  ASOC is a key partner in the AKCP, which works to protect krill, the base of the Antarctic Ecosystem.

Regulating Antarctic Tourism:  ASOC supports regulation of Antarctic tourism to ensure that the industry has a minimal impact on the environment.

Southern Ocean Fisheries:  As fisheries around the world become increasingly depleted due to commercial activity, the Southern Ocean becomes more attractive to commercial interests.  ASOC believes that both legal and illegal fishing in this region deserve increased attention before Antarctic waters are also damaged by overfishing.

Protocol Implementation:  ASOC promotes effective legal and practical implementation of the Protocol, both domestically in individual states, and collectively by the Antarctic Treaty System.