The penguin is disappearing

On April 25th, <World Penguin Day> was designated. It is said that the Adelie penguin has finished breeding and the Antarctic is moving north before winter.

When it comes to polar animals, the first thing that comes to mind is the polar bear and the penguin. Many NGOs and media promoted that polar bears are on the verge of extinction due to global warming. There is.

As global warming progresses, the average air temperature in Antarctica has risen by about 3-4 degrees over the past 50 years, and rainfall has increased. The rain in Antarctica's cold weather threatens the lives of the young penguins. Baby penguins' downy feathers are not waterproof, so when it rains, it's like wearing a wet fur jacket, and while adult penguins go for food, they lose their lives from hypothermia.

The second factor that threatens survival is the decline in krill, a major prey for penguins. As the glaciers melt due to global warming, the amount of phytoplankton that feeds krill is greatly reduced, and multinational corporations' krill fishing is concentrated in the waters around the Antarctic Peninsula, where many penguins inhabit. Krill is used as a raw material for feed and bait in farms, as well as dietary supplements for humans and companion animals, and is being overfished in large quantities. In particular, nutritional supplements made from krill oil, which are said to be good for high cholesterol, are gaining popularity, and the operation of krill is increasing in the Antarctic Sea. As the prey diminishes, the penguins are hunted further into the sea, and the baby penguins are starving while the mother penguin travels 200 kilometers round trip in search of food. Overfishing of krill in the Antarctic Ocean is rapidly threatening the survival of penguins, whales and seals.

Expansion of marine protected areas is a good way to prevent overfishing of krill. Commercial operations may be prohibited here (No-Take Zone, etc.). Scientists around the world warn that marine ecosystems need to be at least 30% of the sea area in order to maintain the marine ecosystem. The Antarctic Ocean occupies 10% of the total sea area, and the current marine protected areas in the Antarctic Ocean occupy only about 12% of the water area of ​​the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Biological Resources (No-Take Zone 4.9%).

Then, I have no choice but to wonder if the designation of the marine protected area imposes restrictions on the fishing industry, which adversely affects economic development and the supply and demand of food resources. It has been proven that the designation of marine protected areas not only increases the biodiversity of the area, but also has a positive effect on the increase in the number of fish in the surrounding area, and consequently helps the fishing industry.

The waters around South Orkney Island and the Ross Sea in Antarctica were designated as marine protected areas in 2009 and 2016, respectively, by the “Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)”. Scientists are paying attention to the “spill-over” effect, which increases fishery resources in the surrounding area by moving fish that have increased due to the prohibition of fishing in the Ross Sea Reserve. This is a case that proves that the designation of marine protected areas does not interfere with fishing, but rather helps in the mid- to long-term. Marine protected areas serve as spawning grounds for marine organisms, conserving the surrounding ecosystem, and contributing to securing fishing grounds for commercial fishing in the long run.

However, the designation of such an Antarctic marine protected area is facing difficulties. After the commercial operation of krill began in the 1960s, the parties to the Antarctic Treaty signed a “Conservation Agreement on Antarctic Marine Biological Resources” in 1982 to prevent reckless fishing. As soon as this agreement came into force, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established. Since the first marine protected area workshop was held under CCAMLR in 2005, discussions on marine protected areas have continued. However, other than the designation of South Orkney Island in 2009 and the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area in 2015, there has been no significant progress, which is due to the decision-making structure of the power council. Countries operating in the Antarctic Sea, such as China, Russia, and Norway, are opposing the designation of the Bogoda area.

Korea became the 17th member of CCAMLR in 1985 and is obligated to fish in compliance with the Antarctic marine life conservation measures. However, there is a fact that in 2013 and 2019, the U.S. and others placed Korea on the list of preliminary illegal fishing countries due to the violation of preservation measures by some Korean companies and illegal fishing of cheerleaders, which resulted in national dishonor from the international community. In particular, Korea is also the country that catches the most krill after Norway and China in Antarctica. In other words, it can be said that Korea is also playing a part in the penguin's responsibility for the extinction crisis. As Korea's responsibility is highlighted, it is time to show the actions of our citizens to protect Antarctic creatures and the sea. In order to lead the discussion on marine protected area designation promoted by CCAMLR every year, organizations such as the Environmental Movement Alliance are continuing campaigns and policy activities in Korea.

As one of the world's citizens, I hope that on April 25, 2022, on Penguin's Day, a positive article about the decline in the penguin population will appear in the media.

#Source Nuri Atti (Environmental Movement Federation)