Bronwyn Herbert reported this story on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 08:24:00

TONY EASTLEY: The vast waters of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica are rich in marine life.



Now a global coalition of scientists has identified what they call no take zones, designed to stop industrial fishing within key parts of the frozen continent's waters.



An international convention charged with conserving Antarctica's marine reserves is set to make a decision by the end of next year on exactly what areas will be protected.



Bronwyn Herbert reports.



BRONWYN HERBERT: The Antarctic Ocean Alliance wants the polar continent's marine areas protected just like the land mass.



Steve Campbell is the Alliance's campaign director.



STEVE CAMPBELL: The coalition has identified about 19 areas around the continent of Antarctica that should be protected.



We're doing that at this point in time because the convention that deals with these issues has got a great opportunity to make a very ambitious decision. They've already said that they're going to make a decision by 2012 and we think that there's a real need now for a public campaign for public scrutiny on this issue.



BRONWYN HERBERT: Have you got any idea of the scale, though?



STEVE CAMPBELL: Look, I think the biggest marine reserve at the moment is about 600,000 square kilometres, 650,000, something like that. So this one would be an order of magnitude greater than that, if you add all the pieces together.



BRONWYN HERBERT: Steve Campbell says global fishing stocks are fast in decline and that's putting more pressure on the marine resources of the Southern Ocean.



STEVE CAMPBELL: It's mainly a fishery for krill and for toothfish - both Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish.



There's also fishing for various other species like skates and icefish. Their fishing in some, you know, relatively concentrated hot spots, particularly around the Antarctic Penninsula and in places like the Ross Sea, which is probably the most intact marine environment on the planet.



There's many hundreds who've fished there over the years but the key ones at the moment are Russia, Norway, Korea, New Zealand, UK, Spain.



BRONWYN HERBERT: Steve Campbell says these countries with industrial fishing interests are also some of the 25 countries signatories to the convention.



STEVE CAMPBELL: It's likely, I think, to get the support as long as there is some limited fishing that can continue in some areas. But also that we can make a case for the environmental values of these areas - the values for science and the study of climate change, and indeed the sort of intrinsic value of the areas themselves.



TONY EASTLEY: Steve Campbell from the Antarctic Ocean Alliance ending that report from Bronwyn Herbert.