The Meanings of a Marine Protected Area in the Ross Sea from New Zealand

LORENZO, CRISTIAN

Hobart

Conferencia; HASSEG Conference 2017. DEPTHS AND SURFACES: understanding the Antarctic region through the Humanities and Social Sciences; 2017

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies - University of Tasmania

In 2012, New Zealand and the UnitedStates submitted a joint proposal to the Convention for the Conservation ofAntarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to create a Marine Protected Area(MPA) in the Ross Sea. In 2016, CCAMLR members decided by consensus toestablish the mentioned MPA. A question that begs to be asked is, what does thecreation of a Ross Sea MPA actually mean for New Zealand? This conference paper attempts to tackle this question and presents the results of qualitative research undertaken inNew Zealand over the last five months. The research involved the analysis ofofficial documents as well as media analysis, semi-structured interviewsconducted in person in New Zealand and via Skype. The data collected wasassessed against their situational background and viewed through differentcontextual lenses. First, the data was analyzed within a context of internationalpolitics, in particular with a focus on the process to create Marine ProtectedAreas in an international arena. Second, the data was viewed within the broaderNew Zealand foreign policy on Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.The research results indicate that, froma New Zealand perspective, the relevance of the establishment of a MPA in theRoss Sea entails more than simply promoting the conservation of an Antarcticmarine ecosystem with a science-based approach. As this presentation willargue, CCAMLR?s landmark decision to establish an MPA in the Ross Sea endorsed andsupported New Zealand?s long-term diplomatic strategy towards Antarctica andthe Southern Ocean.