Opportunities for applying spatial management approaches in the Antarctic marine space

The report assesses the current state of spatial management in the Southern Ocean, highlighting the tension between CCAMLR's conservation mandate and the 'rational use' of marine resources. It identifies a deadlock in the establishment of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) due to eroding consensus and geopolitical tensions. The authors suggest transitioning from a narrow focus on MPA designation toward a comprehensive Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) approach to better integrate land-sea conservation and respond to climate change impacts.

• CCAMLR is facing a divide among member states regarding the interpretation of its primary objective, with some viewing it as a fisheries regime and others as a conservation and management regime.
• The consensus-based decision-making process, essential for the legitimacy of the Antarctic Treaty system, is eroding, leading to a deadlock in the adoption of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) since 2016.
• While CCAMLR has met the 10% area target for MPAs aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals and CBD Aichi targets, the current network is not ecologically representative of Antarctic biodiversity.
• The report suggests adopting Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as a multisectoral framework to resolve trade-offs between economic gains and environmental objectives, moving beyond a single focus on MPA designation.
• There is a lack of coordination between the different branches of the Antarctic Treaty system, specifically between the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) and CCAMLR, which hinders a holistic land-sea approach to spatial management.
• Climate change is creating a mismatch between the pace of environmental change in the Southern Ocean and CCAMLR's policy response, particularly regarding ecosystem resilience and shifting species ranges.
• The report identifies a reputational risk for CCAMLR if it fails to progress on conservation measures, suggesting that the organization should turn this risk into a leadership opportunity by aligning with global instruments like the BBNJ Treaty.

APA

Rosemarin, A., Han, G., Gunnarsson, M., Barquet, K., & Leander, E. (2023). Opportunities for applying spatial management approaches in the Antarctic marine space. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/spatial-management-antarctic-sei2023.039.pdf

Chicago

Rosemarin, Arno, Guoyi Han, Matilda Gunnarsson, Karina Barquet, and Elin Leander. Opportunities for applying spatial management approaches in the Antarctic marine space. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/spatial-management-antarctic-sei2023.039.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rosemarin |first1=Arno |last2=Han |first2=Guoyi |last3=Gunnarsson |first3=Matilda |last4=Barquet |first4=Karina |last5=Leander |first5=Elin |title=Opportunities for applying spatial management approaches in the Antarctic marine space |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/spatial-management-antarctic-sei2023.039.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rosemarin2023opportunities, author = {Rosemarin, Arno and Han, Guoyi and Gunnarsson, Matilda and Barquet, Karina and Leander, Elin}, title = {{Opportunities for applying spatial management approaches in the Antarctic marine space}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/spatial-management-antarctic-sei2023.039.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }