Argentina and Chile relaunch an important call for environmental care before the international community: to create a Marine Protected Area of 670,000 km2 in Antarctica.
The goal is to save the krill, the small marine species that serves as a basic food source for many marine animals, from intensive fishing.
This small crustacean is the essential food for seals, whales, and penguins, whose survival is at risk due to excessive commercial exploitation.
What is the proposal to create a Marine Protected Area between Argentina and Chile
The binational proposal for a Marine Protected Area (MPA) emerged from the joint work between the Argentine Antarctic Institute and its Chilean counterpart.
Since 2018, both countries have presented this initiative at each annual meeting of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), without reaching a consensus.
This time, Fausto López Crozet, national director of Antarctic Foreign Policy and envoy of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, leads the country’s delegation.
López Crozet hopes that “the binational request will finally move towards the firm recommendation of the member countries“.
The scientific plan establishes no-fishing zones and other areas where krill extraction is allowed under strict quotas.
The proposed region for the Marine Protected Area covers the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the south of the Scotia Arc.
Krill: a key link in the Antarctic ecosystem
The drastic reduction of krill due to intensive fishing threatens the survival of species that depend on the small crustacean.
Mammals like seals and whales, along with birds like penguins, feed on this organism.
According to the official site of the CCAMLR, the main purpose of the organization is to “preserve Antarctic marine fauna and flora against commercial exploitation, particularly of krill, ensuring that all fishing is conducted in a sustainable and responsible manner”.
The fishing industry of Norway, China, South Korea, and Japan extracts exponential tonnages of krill each year in Antarctic waters, hence the importance of creating the Marine Protected Area.
China and Russia block the initiative and Argentina “counterattacks”
Every attempt to create the MPA has been blocked by the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, two of the 26 member countries of the CCAMLR.
Approval is subject to the consensus of all members of the Convention.
The sessions of the CCAMLR reflect geopolitical rivalries and the commercial interest of the fishing powers.
To make matters worse, the war between Ukraine and Russia freezes decisions depending on who supports each initiative.
Faced with threats, the Secretariat of Malvinas, Antarctica, Oceanic Policy, and South Atlantic, led by Paola Di Chiaro, launched a training plan to train Antarctic fishing inspectors.
Last September, López Crozet conducted a course for Navy personnel on inspection procedures regulated by the CCAMLR.
Members of the Maritime Interests Headquarters, the Maritime Patrol Division, the Sea Fleet, the Corvettes Division, the Joint Antarctic Command, and personnel stationed at Antarctic bases participated.
In early 2025, Argentina conducted for the first time a surveillance and aerial inspection flight of the fishing fleet in Antarctic waters.
The mission was carried out aboard a Orion P-3C registration 6-P-57 recently acquired from Norway.
The monitoring of the Antarctic fishing fleet allows observing maritime zones north of the continent, where the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands are located, territories disputed with the United Kingdom.
In this vast oceanic area, habitat of the Patagonian toothfish, Great Britain grants fishing licenses without the consensus of CCAMLR members.
The CCAMLR was established in 1982 as part of the Antarctic Treaty System.
Argentina participates each year in the formulation and review of conservation measures during these international meetings.
