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Summaries of EU Legislation

Conservation of Antarctic marine living resources

Date of last review:
10/03/2020
Author:
Publications Office of the European Union
Responsible entity(ies):
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Summarised document(s):

Conservation of Antarctic marine living resources

 

SUMMARY OF:

Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources

Decision 81/691/EEC concluding the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE CONVENTION AND THE DECISION?

  • The objective of the Convention is the conservation of all marine life, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and birds, south of 60o South latitude and in the area between that latitude and the Antarctic Convergence* which form part of the Antarctic marine ecosystem. For the purposes of the Convention, the term ‘conservation’ includes rational use.
  • The decision approves the Convention on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

To conserve marine life, the Convention requires that any fishing and associated activities must follow the following principles:

  • ensure that the population of any species targeted by such activities does not fall below the levels needed to maintain stable populations.
  • maintain the ecological relationships between targeted populations and dependent and related populations of Antarctic marine life, and restore depleted populations to the levels defined above; and
  • prevent changes or minimise the risk of changes in the marine ecosystem which are not potentially reversible over two or three decades, taking into account various factors including environmental changes, with the aim of making possible the sustained conservation of Antarctic marine living resources.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Scientific Committee

  • An international Commission, the CCAMLR, set up by the Convention, is responsible for the adoption of conservation measures at its annual meetings designed to ensure the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources, including their rational use.
  • The Scientific Committee is a consultative body set up by the Convention to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation concerning the collection, study and exchange of information of the marine life covered by the Convention. In exercising its functions, the Commission takes full account of the recommendations and advice of the Scientific Committee.
  • Council Decision (EU) 2019/867, adopted in May 2019, sets out the EU position within the Commission for the period 2019-2023

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The convention entered into force on 7 April 1982.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

  • About CCAMLR (Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources).

KEY TERMS

Antarctic convergence: a line joining the following points along parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude:

50oS, 0o; 50oS, 30oE; 45oS, 30oE; 45oS, 80oE; 55oS, 80oE; 55oS, 150oE; 60oS, 150oE; 60oS, 50oW; 50oS, 50oW; 50oS, 0o.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (OJ L 252, 5.9.1981, pp. 27-35)

Council Decision 81/691/EEC of 4 September 1981 on the conclusion of the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (OJ L 252, 5.9.1981, p. 26)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council Decision (EU) 2019/867 of 14 May 2019 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and repealing the Decision of 24 June 2014 on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the Union, in the CCAMLR (OJ L 140, 28.5.2019, pp. 72-77)

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy (COM(2018) 28 final, 16.1.2018)

Regulation (EU) 2017/2403 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets, and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1006/2008 (OJ L 347, 28.12.2017, pp. 81-104)

Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — International ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans (JOIN(2016) 49 final, 10.11.2016)

Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006 (OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, pp. 1-50)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 have been incoporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999 (OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, pp. 1-32)

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 600/2004 of 22 March 2004 laying down certain technical measures applicable to fishing activities in the area covered by the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (OJ L 97, 1.4.2004, pp. 1-15)

Council Regulation (EC) No 601/2004 of 22 March 2004 laying down certain control measures applicable to fishing activities in the area covered by the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 3943/90, (EC) No 66/98 and (EC) No 1721/1999 (OJ L 97, 1.4.2004, pp. 16-29)

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1035/2001 of 22 May 2001 establishing a catch documentation scheme for Dissostichus spp. (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, pp. 1-9)

See consolidated version.

last update 10.03.2020

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