This report presents the results of the Second International Workshop for identifying Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Domain 1 of CCAMLR. The workshop was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 25 to 29 May 2015.
During the workshop, discussions were concentrated in reviewing and analyzing new and updated georeferenced data, and in further developing conservation objectives´ argumentation. It was noted that a large amount of new data was provided for objectives that so far had none, few or incomplete information, such as prey distribution (antarctic and crystal krill, T. macrura, salps), important areas for zooplankton life cycles (krill nurseries), and whales distribution during the non-breeding period. Many objectives were updated, either adding new species (as for Emperor and Macaroni penguins), new benthic types (to protect different benthic communities), or incorporating a different canyons´ classification, and minimum and maximum sea ice extension. Furthermore, predators´ colonies, buffers and tracking data were updated; and important areas for fishes life cycles expanded.
Discussions were also focused in the analysis of the cost layer, reviewing all available data on human activities and investigating the different parameters involved in its estimation. Regarding to Marxan analysis, the Workshop agreed to test three different conservation scenarios with minimum, medium and maximum protection levels, to better identify the most appropriate reserve systems within Domain 1.