The South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf Marine Protected Area: Towards The Establishment Of Marine Spatial Protection Within International Waters In The Southern

The South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf Marine Protected Area (SOI SS MPA) was the first MPA established in international waters anywhere in the World Ocean and as such was a landmark conservation achievement. Here, we consider how the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) overcame historical over-exploitation to implement a precautionary ecosystem-based management framework that continues to evolve over time. We describe the background to the designation of the SOI SS MPA, in the context of CCAMLR's ambition to implement a system of spatial protection that will provide a comprehensive, adequate and representative network of MPAs that will contribute to the long-term ecological viability of marine systems, maintain ecological processes, and protect Antarctic marine biodiversity at all levels. We highlight the bioregionalisation and systematic conservation planning approaches used by CCAMLR and describe how CCAMLR has now adopted a formalised process for designating MPAs to ensure that common principles and practices are in place across the CAMLR Convention Area. We discuss how continued designation of further MPAs is now falling short of the initial ambition. Only two MPAs have been agreed, while three others are under active consideration, but with little progress towards designation. The SOI SS MPA was the first to be implemented by CCAMLR, it helped shape the MPA debate during its earliest stages by providing concrete examples of planning approaches, data requirements and steps towards designation. It was a catalyst that helped shape and form the general framework for further MPA development. The SOI SS MPA was the first to offer a draft research and monitoring plan, and to report on MPA research activities during review. The SOI SS MPA remains part of a process that has not yet reached its final conclusion.