History of the CAMLR Convention and the Antarctic Treaty System
The marine life of the waters surrounding Antarctica has been harvested since 1790, when sealers first hunted fur seals for their pelts. By 1825, some populations of fur seals were close to extinction, and sealers began hunting elephant seals and some species of penguins for oil.
Whaling in the waters surrounding Antarctica began in 1904, and seven species of whales were extensively exploited.
Large-scale fishing for finfish began in the late 1960s, targeting species such as mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari), marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) and Patagonian rockcod (Patagonotothen guntheri). By the late 1970s, some species had been overfished in some areas.
Krill fishing started in the mid-1970s and by 1980 more than 400 000 tonnes were being taken annually. Krill is a keystone species in the Antarctic ecosystem, as seabirds, seals and whales depend on it for food.
In 1978, concern over increased fishing and its effect on the wider ecosystem led the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to convene a conference on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources. The conference agreed to the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, signed in Canberra, Australia, on 20 May 1980.
The Convention came into force on 7 April 1982. The purpose and objective of the Convention, set out in Article II, is the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources, including their rational use. The Convention has its origins in the broader Antarctic Treaty System. It provides the foundation for marine living resource conservation in the waters surrounding Antarctica, while recognising the prime responsibilities of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties for the protection and preservation of the Antarctic environment and, in particular, their responsibilities under Article IX, paragraph1(f) of the Antarctic Treaty in respect of the preservation and conservation of living resources on the Antarctic landmass.
The Convention’s scope applies to all waters, and all marine living resources, south of the Antarctic Convergence. At the Convergence, there is an abrupt increase in seawater temperature from south to north, where cold Antarctic water meets warmer temperate water. This creates a unique ecological boundary around waters surrounding Antarctica.
CCAMLR’s responsibility for the management of sustainable harvesting extends to all these resources, with the exclusion of whales and seals. Whaling and sealing – which do not take place in waters surrounding Antarctica – are recognised by CCAMLR to be the responsibility of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals respectively. Nevertheless, the role and well-being of these species in the ecosystem is considered by CCAMLR when making its management decisions.
CCAMLR is a conservation organisation with some of the attributes of a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation. Unlike regional fisheries organisations, CCAMLR’s responsibilities encompass fisheries management but also extend beyond it, given the specific focus on conservation including rational use as CCAMLR’s principal objective.
