Antarctic commission ends meeting without agreement on protection or krill measures
The story at a glance
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) met in Hobart from 19 to 30 October 2026. It ended without agreement on new marine protected areas or new precautionary measures for the Antarctic krill fishery. 1234
The proposed protected area around the Antarctic Peninsula was a focus of negotiations. Some members agreed to continue discussions through an intersessional process, but no new protection or fishery measure was adopted. 235
What you need to know
- CCAMLR’s 45th meeting produced no agreement on new marine protected areas (MPAs) or new precautionary measures for the krill fishery. Independent reporting and the conservation coalition ASOC agree on the outcome. 234
- The proposed Domain 1 MPA, covering the Antarctic Peninsula region, was among the central issues discussed. Members did not reach consensus on the proposal. 23
- The meeting also ended without new management measures for the Antarctic krill fishery. The reporting does not describe a measure being adopted to change how that fishery is managed. 234
- Mongabay reports that China proposed redefining CCAMLR MPAs to allow fishing within them. Members discussed the proposal, but did not vote on it. 2
- Some members agreed to continue talks between formal meetings. This is a process for further negotiation, not an agreed MPA or fishery safeguard. 345
Why this matters
The meeting’s outcome leaves proposed Antarctic marine protections and new krill-fishery measures unresolved. Further talks may provide another opportunity to negotiate, but the sources report no new conservation measure delivered at this meeting. 2345
What happens next
Some members are expected to continue discussions through an intersessional process, with the possibility of returning to the issues at CCAMLR-46. The reporting does not establish whether those talks will produce revised proposals or enough consensus for decisions. 345
What we know
- The 45th CCAMLR meeting took place in Hobart from 19 to 30 October 2026. 12
- No new MPA or precautionary krill-fishery measure was agreed at the meeting. 234
- The Domain 1 proposal and krill management were central issues in the discussions. 234
- Some members agreed to continue discussions between meetings; the sources describe this as a plan for further talks, not an adopted measure. 345
What we don't know
- The supplied reporting does not establish when CCAMLR will publish its official 2026 meeting report or what detail it will include about the negotiations. 12
- It remains unclear whether the intersessional discussions will produce revised proposals or sufficient consensus for decisions at CCAMLR-46. 345
- The sources do not identify what, if any, new safeguards for the krill fishery might be adopted while negotiations continue. 234
Read the reporting
This WildNews briefing synthesises and summarises reporting from the sources below. WildNews did not produce the original reporting. Learn more about how we use AI
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