CCAMLR Talks End Without Consensus On Krill Fishing – Marine News Magazine

Report on the 44th Annual Meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)

The 44th annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) concluded with limited progress on key conservation objectives. The outcomes of the negotiations have significant implications for the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Fisheries Management and Marine Ecosystem Protection (SDG 14)

Krill Fishery Management and SDG 14.4

A central issue was the management of the Antarctic krill fishery, which directly relates to SDG 14.4 (end overfishing) and SDG 14.2 (sustainably manage and protect marine ecosystems). A conflict emerged between members advocating for the expansion of industrial fishing and a coalition of conservation-oriented members focused on precautionary management.

• A group including Chile, Argentina, the European Union, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea successfully resisted attempts to expand krill fishing in ecologically sensitive areas without adequate safeguards for predator species like penguins, seals, and whales.
• The failure to renew a critical protection measure that spatially distributed krill catch in 2024 led to the rapid fulfillment of the 620,000-tonne annual quota for 2025, forcing an early closure of the fishery.
• In response to the management failures, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has called for a moratorium on Antarctic krill fishing to protect the ecosystem, aligning with the principles of sustainable resource management under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Marine Protected Areas and SDG 14.5

The meeting failed to advance the designation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), representing a significant setback for SDG 14.5, which calls for the conservation of at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, and the broader global target to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.

• The proposed Antarctic Peninsula MPA, supported by extensive scientific research, remains unadopted.
• The collective adoption of all four pending protection proposals would safeguard 26% of the Southern Ocean, contributing nearly 3% to the global ocean protection target.
• Despite the lack of adoption, a growing alignment among conservation-focused members signals increasing resolve to align CCAMLR’s actions with global commitments like the High Seas Treaty.

Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and SDG 14.2

Progress on protecting vulnerable seafloor habitats was also stalled. The rejection by two members of a new Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) designation, despite clear video evidence, undermines efforts to protect marine biodiversity as mandated by SDG 14.2.

Climate Change and Inaction (SDG 13)

Failure to Integrate Climate Action

The commission did not take significant action in response to evidence of the severe impacts of climate change on the Antarctic environment. This inaction is contrary to CCAMLR’s prior commitments and impedes progress on SDG 13 (Climate Action) by failing to adopt measures that would enhance the resilience of threatened Antarctic ecosystems.

Governance, Transparency, and Partnerships (SDG 17)

Challenges in International Cooperation

The lack of consensus on key conservation issues highlights ongoing challenges in achieving effective international cooperation, a core principle of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The division between members prioritizing resource extraction and those prioritizing conservation demonstrates a lack of policy coherence for sustainable development (SDG 17.14).

Advancements in Operational Transparency

A positive outcome was the agreement on new rules for transshipment. Members agreed to require the public listing of all vessels involved in such operations. This measure enhances transparency and aligns CCAMLR with global best practices, contributing to the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a key target under SDG 14.4.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems.
     
     Explanation: The article’s central theme is the failure to agree on protections for the Southern Ocean. This includes the push to establish a Marine Protected Area (MPA) for the Antarctic Peninsula, protect predator-rich areas from krill fishing, and designate a new Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME). These actions are direct efforts to manage and protect a fragile marine ecosystem.
   • Target 14.4: Effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
     
     Explanation: The article discusses the management of the krill fishery, noting that the entire 620,000t annual quota was caught early, forcing the fishery to close. This highlights issues with regulating harvesting. Furthermore, the agreement on new rules for transshipment, requiring vessels to be publicly listed, is a direct measure to increase transparency and combat potential IUU fishing.
   • Target 14.5: Conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas.
     
     Explanation: The article explicitly mentions the proposed Antarctic Peninsula MPA and other protections that, if adopted, “would safeguard 26% of the Southern Ocean.” It also directly links this effort to “the global target to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030,” which is an evolution of the original SDG target.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into policies, strategies and planning.
     
     Explanation: The article criticizes the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) for its failure to take “significant action” on climate change despite discussing its “dramatic impacts.” It notes that CCAMLR “continues to treat climate change as an afterthought” even though “Antarctica is warming faster than almost anywhere else on Earth,” indicating a failure to integrate climate measures into its conservation planning.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.
     
     Explanation: The conflict within CCAMLR between members prioritizing conservation and those pushing to expand industrial fishing demonstrates a lack of policy coherence. The article highlights the attempt “to decouple the discussions, attempting to separate fisheries expansion from marine protection,” which is a direct challenge to coherent, ecosystem-based management.
   • Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
     
     Explanation: The entire article is about the functioning (and malfunctioning) of CCAMLR, an international commission that serves as a partnership for managing the Antarctic. The negotiations, disagreements, and alliances described (e.g., “A strong show of unity from Chile, Argentina, the European Union…”) are direct examples of the dynamics within such a global partnership.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. For SDG Target 14.5

   • Indicator (Implied): Percentage of marine area protected.
     
     Explanation: The article mentions the goal to “safeguard 26% of the Southern Ocean” and the global target to “protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.” The adoption or rejection of the proposed MPA serves as a direct measure of progress.

2. For SDG Target 14.4

   • Indicator (Mentioned): Annual catch quota.
     
     Explanation: The article specifies the “620,000t annual quota” for the krill fishery, which is a quantitative measure used in fisheries management.
   • Indicator (Implied): Implementation of measures to combat IUU fishing.
     
     Explanation: The new rule requiring all vessels involved in transshipment “to be publicly listed” is a specific, measurable action aimed at increasing transparency and fighting IUU fishing.

3. For SDG Target 14.2

   • Indicator (Implied): Number of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) designated for protection.
     
     Explanation: The article states that the designation of a new VME was rejected. The number of VMEs formally recognized and protected is a clear indicator of progress in protecting fragile seafloor habitats.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: marinetechnologynews.com