Stakeholder perceptions of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Marine Protected Area planning process

Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in international waters is critical for the conservation of marine biodiversity. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is a global leader in high seas conservation, having established two international MPAs in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, as part of a commitment to establish a representative system of MPAs for the CAMLR Convention Area. CCAMLR MPAs are adopted by consensus. However, consensus decision-making has slowed the MPA adoption process, and since 2016 the Commission has been unable to agree and implement further MPAs, which has stalled the development of the circumpolar representative system. The key aim of this study was to identify how features of the planning process contribute to outcomes, problems and solutions. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 scientists, policymakers, and expert observers from fisheries and environmental non-government organisations involved in CCAMLR MPA planning, to explore their perceptions (experiences, opinions, impressions) of the planning process. Our results identify four key features that are influential across multiple areas of the CCAMLR MPA planning and decision-making process: i) a lack of common understanding; ii) the influence of historical relationships and legacy in subsequent planning processes; iii) inconsistencies between expectations of and requirements for MPA planning; and iv) the degree to which CCAMLR principles and practices, norms, and values are shared. We demonstrate how these four features may help or hinder the effectiveness of the current planning process. We then make suggestions regarding how the planning process could be adapted to capitalise on these features.