World’s biggest marine reserve in Antarctica

Twenty-four countries and the EU have agreed that the Ross Sea in Antarctica will become the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA). More than 1.5 million sq km of the Southern Ocean will gain protection for 35 years

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs)
Ross Sea: Proposal by New Zealand and U.S. accepted
Area: 1,550,000 sq km
South Orkney Islands:
Set up in 2009. 94,000 sq km 

OTHER MPAs PLANNED
East Antarctic: Proposed by Australia, France and EU
946,998 sq km
Weddell Sea: German proposal
2.8 million sq km

ROSS SEA 
MPA: Fishing will be banned completely in 1.1m square km while research zones will allow for some fishing for krill and sawfish Ross Sea is home to 38% of world’s Adelie penguins, 30% of world's Antarctic petrels and around 6% of world’s population of Antarctic minke whales

Antarctic Circle

EAST ANTARCTICA
WEST ANTARCTICA
ANTARCTICA
South Pole
Ross Ice Shelf
Ross Sea
Weddell Sea
SOUTHERN OCEAN
Transantarctic Mountains
Antarctic Peninsula
South Orkney Islands

1,000km
620 miles

Source: CCAMLR, WWF, Pew Charitable Trusts, ASOC
Picture: Getty Images