China, Russia block Antarctic marine park plan

In a blow to the Antarctic environment, Russia and China have blocked plans for a one million square kilometre marine park.

The proposal is designed to protect breeding grounds of emperor and adelie penguins. Picture: AFP

Russia and China have blocked a proposed one million square kilometre marine protected area sponsored by Australia and the European Union in a blow to the Antarctic environment and the cause of global co-operation.

A meeting in Hobart of the international body established to protect the Southern Ocean’s wildlife, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, wound up late on Friday after failing to reach agreement on the proposal.

The body has previously failed to agree on the proposal, which has federal government backing, and is designed to protect breeding grounds of emperor and adelie penguins, deepwater reefs, seabirds, and vulnerable marine ecosystems in the East Antarctic.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley announced ahead of this week’s annual CCAMLR meeting that the government was backing the proposal in order to protect the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. “This region would play a key role in supporting sustainable fisheries and in furthering Australia’s world leading research into climate change,” she said.

The defeat of the proposal was concealed by a statement issued by CCAMLR, which instead stressed the body’s achievements. CCAMLR would not state which of its 26 members blocked the proposed East Antarctic marine protected area, but The Australian understands China and Russia were the main opponents.

The committee, which has its secretariat in Hobart, previously managed to implement a marine protected area around the South Orkney Islands in which commercial fishing is prohibited, and another in the Ross Sea which prohibits fishing in most areas. CCAMLR has also had success limiting seabird deaths as an unintended by-product of fishing.

Participants at last week’s meeting described more than a week of late night discussions but ultimately a failure to sway the Russian and Chinese delegations. It is believed that none of the major proposals put to the meeting, including a non-binding agreement on climate change, were adopted.

Australian Antarctic Division head Kim Ellis said defeat of the proposal should prompt a search for alternative strategies.