Diplomats from 25 countries continue to meet in order to finally set an agreement for the protection of Antarctica's unique marine environment. The proposal includes setting up a large marine sanctuary, which involves sacrificing almost 1.5 million square kilometers.
The waters of the Ross Sea is believed to be an important breeding place for the blue whale, which is nearing the brink of extinction. Scientists also believe that the waters play a crucial role in the ecosystem and is home to unique flora and fauna.
All five attempts made by the United States and New Zealand for the mutual proposal for a Marine Protection Area (MPA) got a no from Russia. However, during the last day of the 10-day meeting of the 34th Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) held in Hobart, Australia, the two countries got China on board for the first time, leaving Russia the only country in opposition. China's go signal was confirmed though a closed-door meeting.
The Ross Sea is a key commercial fishing area for the Antarctic toothfish, a Southern Ocean cod icefish. Russia remains in opposition over concern of how the proposed sanctuary would affect its fishing industry. The U.S.-New Zealand proposal will place the Ross Sea reserve system as a no-fishing zone.
"There's also a bit of optimism because now there's just one country left and we're closer than we have ever been before," said U.S. State Department delegate Evan Bloom.
The latest version of the MPA proposal is inclusive of a zone dedicated to the research of krill, which forms the basis of the food chain in the Antarctic and other areas of the proposed protected zone. It also allows krill fishing, an area that sparked more interest in China since krill is used in many nutritional supplements and fish food.
"China's support for a revised MPA is a major step forward in reaching the consensus required to put workable protections in place for the Ross Sea," said New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully.
The Ross Sea has one of the remaining fully functioning marine ecosystems on the planet. The freezing but abundant Southern Ocean, which makes up 10 percent of the planet's surface, is also home to 10,000 marine life which include the colossal squid, penguins and whales.
