Q. What is the purpose of the Antarctic Protected Areas Information Archive?

    A. The Antarctic Protected Areas Information Archive aims to provide easy access to information on all of those sites that have been given formal status of special protection under one of the international legal instruments that apply within the Antarctic region. The Antarctic Protected Areas Information Archive Site Map illustrates graphically the structure of information available on this site.

    Q. Who developed the Antarctic Protected Areas Information Archive?

    A. The Archive was originally developed by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Environmental Research & Assessment, and the Environment and Information Division of the British Antarctic Survey. The Archive was demonstrated at the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) (established under the Madrid Protocol) at its meeting in Warsaw, Poland, in 2002. Members of the CEP considered there would be benefit to including the site on the CEP web site, so the UK offered to transfer it to the CEP, where it will be maintained and enhanced in the future.

    Q. Who is this Information Archive for?

    A. The site aims to meet the needs of those travelling to and within Antarctica who need to know where the various protected areas are, and of those who undertake visits to, or manage, such sites. At this stage, some sites have more detailed information available than others. This is for practical reasons, and it is not yet possible to make detailed information available for all sites. The availability of information in the Archive implies no special status to the information other than the fact that it was readily available. Links have been made to information available and maintained by other organisations, such as national Antarctic programmes. It is hoped that in due course detailed information might become available for all sites.

    In 2003 the United Kingdom published a CD-ROM including the information on this web site for distribution to Antarctic stations and to ships, where internet access is not always readily available. Should you wish to obtain a copy of the CD-ROM, please contact Environmental Research & Assessment.

    Q. What are Antarctic protected areas?

    A. Antarctic protected areas are all of those sites that have been given formal status of special protection under one of the international legal instruments that apply within the Antarctic region.

    Q. What international legal instruments apply in Antarctica?

    A. A number of international legal instruments apply within the Antarctic region. The most important and those of most relevance to this Information Archive are:

    • The Antarctic Treaty
    • The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
    • The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
    • The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS)

    Q. What types of Antarctic protected areas exist under these agreements?

    A. The types of sites that have been established under one of the legal instruments that apply within the Antarctic region are as follows:

    • Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs): Permits are required for entry into ASPAs.
    • Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs).
    • Historic Sites and Monuments (HSMs): may be designated as ASPAs or ASMAs if required.
    • CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring (CEMP) Sites.
    • CCAS Seal Reserves.

    Q. What about the 'Specially Protected Areas (SPAs)' and 'Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)'?

    A. Under the terms of Annex V to the Protocol, these have been replaced by the Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) and the old sites have been redesignated and renumbered accordingly. Management plans are also in the process of being revised to comply with the new rules and procedures.

    Q. How do I obtain a Permit for entry to an ASPA?

    A. You should consult the appropriate authority in your country of origin to obtain information on the requirements for gaining a Permit for entry. Guidelines on the procedures are available on-line for some countries, and links are provided in the Archive where this information is available.

    Q. How many internationally designated protected areas are there in Antarctica?

    A. The number of protected areas as at 1 June, 2003, was:

    • Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs): 59
    • Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs): 1 (adopted for voluntary compliance)
    • Historic Sites and Monuments (HSMs): 76
    • CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring (CEMP) Sites: 2
    • CCAS Seal Reserves: 3

    Last Update: 27-05-03