Summary
This paper draws attention to the publication in the scientific journal Nature of the results of the Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data (RAATD), a project of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Expert Groups on Birds and Marine Mammals and Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics. Using assemblage-level tracking of marine predators, the analysis aimed to enhance understanding of fundamental ecosystem processes in the Southern Ocean by identifying 'Areas of Ecological Significance' (AESs) with high concentrations of multiple predator species. Integration of more than 4,000 tracks from 17 bird and mammal species revealed AESs around sub-Antarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and over the Antarctic continental shelf (see the related Information Paper "The Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data identifies Areas of Ecological Significance in the Southern Ocean" presented by SCAR). The RAATD project is a good example of SCAR's important role to assist in the coordination of large-scale data collation, processing and multi-national collaboration – notions at the core of the Antarctic Treaty. The co-authors of this paper consider that the AESs should be utilised by the CEP and ATCM as appropriate to support the objectives and environmental principles of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. France, Australia, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa recommend that the Committee endorses, and advises the ATCM to adopt, a Resolution to recognise the importance of the Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs) in the Antarctic marine environment as a further tool to inform management actions and assist Parties when planning and conducting activities in Antarctica, including to assist environmental impact assessments and to contribute to environmental monitoring as well as to provide further information in the elaboration or update of ASPAs and ASMAs management plans. Further, the AESs contribute to priority actions identified in the Climate Change Response Work Program to understand and monitor changes to the Antarctic environment and species.