Petition: Protecting Antarctica's Marine Environment

Dear CCAMLR Chair, Delegates and Secretariat,

I know that the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has agreed to create a network of marine protected areas in the ocean around Antarctica. As a global citizen concerned about our environment I very much care about the decisions you are about to make.

As this area represents 10% of the world's seas and is the most untouched ocean environment left on earth, I have joined the Antarctic Ocean Alliance "Watch" to track CCAMLR's developments on this throughout the year.

I call on CCAMLR to establish a large-scale network of marine protected areas and no-take marine reserves to protect Antarctic's key ocean habitats while we still can. With growing threats from overfishing and climate change, I urge you to be as bold as those who, in 1991, protected Antarctica from minerals development. Please take action now to give her oceans the additional protection they need from the threats they now face.

As CCAMLR is a body that meets with limited public participation and no media access, I feel it's important to speak out for these unique global commons areas and to call for the widest possible protection for Antarctica's oceans. I'll be watching, taking action and asking my networks to do the same.

Please do the right thing and protect Antarctica's oceans for future generations.