Marine Protected Area planning by New Zealand and the United States in the Ross Sea region

Since 2005, CCAMLR has progressed plans to implement Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to achieve the aims of Article 2 of the Convention.  CCAMLR has agreed a list of milestones for establishing a system of MPA in the Convention Area by 2012 (SC-CAMLR XXVIII, 3.28) and has encouraged Members to design and propose MPA scenarios on a regional basis.  The 2011 CCAMLR MPA Workshop is intended to facilitate this process by reviewing MPA scenarios prepared and submitted by Members and providing a forum for discussing appropriate methods by which further MPA planning should proceed.  This paper describes MPA planning processes  undertaken by New Zealand and the United States, working in parallel and in collaboration with each other, to design MPA scenarios in the Ross Sea region.  The paper presents separate MPA scenarios by New Zealand and by the United States consistent with their own planning processes and conservation objectives.  It is the intention of both Members that these scenarios, following review by the MPA workshop and discussions with other Members, be used to inform the development of one or more formal MPA proposals for the Ross Sea region.  The paper also presents a detailed description of tools and methods by which MPA planning was conducted by New Zealand and by the United States,  to guide similar efforts by other CCAMLR Members.