The Politics Behind Science: Protection and Conservation of Marine Living Resources in Antarctica, 2005–2018

Abstract

This article examines the interactions among members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources during the debate on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Antarctica between 2005 and 2018. For this purpose, data were collected from final reports of the Commission’s annual meetings, institutional news of this Antarctic forum, and information published by the National Antarctic Programs of member countries. Using an inductive analysis strategy, this article affirms that these interactions are based on: 1) a series of bilateral and multilateral agreements on Antarctica, which frame the actions of states participating in this forum; 2) dilemmas among members of the Commission about the conservation of marine biodiversity; and 3) state and non-state interests in the management of Antarctic marine living resources that could potentially converge. These three characteristics allow us to understand that the dispute over the management of Antarctic areas is a subtle way of doing geopolitics by defining environmental criteria to designate MPAs or establish management and evaluation mechanisms. This article aims at providing an input into the discussion of science and politics in the Antarctic Treaty System.