The Ross Sea, Antarctica: A highly protected MPA in international waters

As the first large-scale (>150,000 km(2)) marine protected area (MPA) on the high seas, the Ross Sea region MPA sets a precedent for other MPAs in areas beyond national jurisdiction. In the myriad of MPA guides and rankings (including the new MPA Guide), categorization and evaluation of the Ross Sea region MPA also sets precedent for categorizing and evaluating future protected areas on the high seas. Here, we provide clarity on the governance of the Ross Sea region MPA, and evaluate the status of its General Protection Zone (comprising similar to 80% of the MPA) with respect to level of protection. We outline the extensive restrictions and science-based management in place within the Ross Sea region MPA General Protection Zone and support its status as highly protected. We further conclude that if an MPA as regulated as the Ross Sea region MPA, especially its General Protection Zone, cannot meet the threshold of a highly protected MPA, it may prove difficult for other high seas MPA to be categorized as such.

Automated summary

The Ross Sea region MPA sets a precedent for other high seas MPAs and guides their categorization and evaluation. Detailed assessment of governance and protection level in the Ross Sea region MPA supports its status as highly protected.