Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition

For photographer John Weller, the designation of the Ross Sea MPA is more than a conservation victory.❄️ He shares how protecting the last intact marine ecosystem on Earth became a symbol of global unity and peace and why it gives him hope for our planet’s future. 💙

Protecting the Ross Sea MPA requires more than boundaries. The Research Coordination Network uses the Ross Sea as a model to connect science, policy & community to strengthen research & monitoring and inform the upcoming 2027 review. rosssearesearch.org Figure: Jack Pan

What happens in Antarctica doesn't stay in Antarctica. Melting ice, warming seas, rising tourism & human pressure. This fragile region is at risk like never before. Our Director Claire Christian explains why the world must act now to #ProtectAntarctica: reuters.com/sustainability…

🌊🐧 Proposed by NZ & the US, adopted by CCAMLR in 2016 & in force since Dec 2017, the Ross Sea Region MPA is the world’s largest MPA (~2M km²). It protects biodiversity, key predator-prey links, toothfish habitats & supports vital polar science. ❄️🔬 asoc.org/campaign/ross-…

The Ross Sea is a cold-water biodiversity hotspot! Home to 30%+ of Adélie penguins, 25% of emperor penguins, 30% of Antarctic petrels, half of Ross Sea killer whales, & 50%+ of South Pacific Weddell seals. It also shelters rare sponges & key fish habitats. 🐧🦭 📷️ John Weller

The next stop on our tour is the Ross Sea Region MPA! The largest MPA in the world, home to penguins, whales, seals, and ancient sponges living 500+ years. Protecting this area was a historic win for global ocean conservation. 🐧🐋 Credit: NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade

📢 For the first time in nearly 40 years, a brand new topographic map of the South Orkney Islands is out! 🗺️ Published by @BAS_News, it reveals retreating ice, new lakes, taller peaks (+200m!), and even a 1913 shipwreck. Dive in: bas.ac.uk/media-post/new…

In 2009, CCAMLR established the world’s first High Seas MPA: the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf. Covering 94,000 km², it bans fishing & waste, protects benthic life, supports science, and laid the groundwork for a Southern Ocean MPA network. Map by Pew Charitable Trusts

🌊 Nearly 1 in 5 Southern Ocean species is found in the South Orkney Islands! This remote sanctuary teems with life, krill, Adélie penguins, fur seals, deep-sea filter feeders - and hosts some of the richest Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems on Earth. 🐧🦐🦭 📷️ Shutterstock

We’re kicking off our virtual tour of Southern Ocean MPAs! Starting at the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf Marine Protected Area, where icy currents fuel rich life, from krill and penguins to deep-sea corals. Discover this remote, vital ocean wilderness with us! 🌊🐧🦐

🌊 Over the next six weeks, join us for a virtual tour of the Southern Ocean MPAs! Each week, we’ll explore one established or proposed area, diving into its unique region, incredible biodiversity, pressing threats, and the protections. Which MPA are you most excited to discover?

We’re honored to receive the €1 million Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity! This recognition affirms the power of collective action to protect one of Earth’s last pristine ecosystems: the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. Thank you for believing in our mission. #ProtectAntarctica…

In the icy Southern Ocean, scientist Chelsea Bekemeier chases clouds that may hold the key to Earth’s climate future. These mysterious mixed-phase clouds both cool and trap heat. Understanding them could transform climate predictions worldwide. 🌨️❄️🔬 abc.net.au/news/2025-06-2…

🐆🦭 New research shows most leopard seals are prey specialists, not generalists. Some focus on fur seal pups and penguins, others on fish or krill. This impacts prey populations like the fur seals at Cape Shirreff. 🌊🐧 📸 @Kogia_org Keith Ladzinski news.web.baylor.edu/news/story/202…

Krill fishing overlaps with whales, penguins, and seals competing for the same food in Antarctica. Using 30,000+ hours of acoustic data & AI, researchers revealed where and when this competition is highest, key insights for effective conservation. 🌊 awi.de/en/about-us/se…

Joaquín Azulay, Antarctica2030 Champion and half of the Gauchos del Mar, joined #UNOC3 to share his story of surfing the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. Through his journey, he is raising awareness for the urgent need to designate the #Domain1MPA.

As #ATCM47 🇮🇹 concludes in Milan, ASOC advocated for: 🔹 A regional framework to regulate tourism 🔹 Emperor penguin protection 🔹 Action on gray water & plastic pollution Despite urgent calls, little progress was made. Antarctica is sounding the alarm. It needs us, now. 🐧🌊

A Blanket for Penguins was created by 55 children at Montessori Bergamo, guided by artists. Using cyanotype, they printed penguin drawings on fabric, forming a symbolic icy quilt to protect a melting world. ❄️🐧 #ATCM47 📸 Nicola Gnesi @Umweltbundesamt @_BMUKN @Umwelthilfe