Marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean: status and future

Marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean are receiving more and more global attention. The Southern Ocean is one of the world’s last regions not yet seriously impacted by human activities, signifying its ecological importance and unique value for scientific research. In response to climate change and growing commercial fishing interests in the Southern Ocean and their impacts on the marine ecosystem, the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is reacting to growing international pressure to establish a system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean to manage fisheries and conserve vital species—such as the keystone resource Antarctic krill and the dominant fish predator Antarctic toothfish—as well as to protect whole ecosystems. This review summarizes progress in the establishment of MPAs in the Southern Ocean by focusing on several major topics: (1) the current status of MPAs in the Southern Ocean; (2) the purpose and objective of MPAs in the Southern Ocean; (3) a short description of the largest high-sea MPA (the Ross Sea MPA); (4) ecological observation and monitoring for the planned MPAs in the Southern Ocean; and (5) the importance of international cooperation in the design, establishment and future management of MPAs in the Southern Ocean