A meeting last week of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) failed to agree on how to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) off the coast of Antarctica.
Maria Damanaki, European commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, called the meeting, which took place in Hobart, Australia from 23 October to 1 November, a "missed opportunity."
"The adoption of these MPAs would have been a bold and important step for marine protection in CCAMLR and globally," she said. "We will continue to support the establishment of these MPAs and hope that CCAMLR can continue to be a leading force in marine conservation."
The commission did not discuss specific sticking points in the negotiations, but indicated that the proposed system of MPAs for East Antarctica has been presented to CCAMLR three times. The other proposal, for an MPA in the Ross Sea region, included suggested reductions for the total surface of the MPA, but member still could not agree on terms.
CCAMLR also decided to review its Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) for toothfish, as part of its ongoing fight against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU). The CCAMLR is expected to meet again in 2014 from 23 October to 31 October, again in Hobart.
