Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences of the United States of America Ship traffic connects Antarctica’s fragile coasts to worldwide ecosystems, published on 18 January, what discussions they are holding with international partners to seek to counter the effect of (1) tourist, (2) research, and (3) fishing, vessels in enabling invasive marine species to travel to Antarctica on ocean-crossing ships.

The protection of the Antarctic environment is discussed annually at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM), and the UK engages actively to ensure all activities in Antarctica are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Within the Antarctic Treaty System, tourism and research vessels must operate in accordance with the Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection, which includes actions to be taken to prevent the introduction of non-native species, as well precautions to prevent the accidental introduction of micro-organisms not naturally present in the Antarctic Treaty area. Fishing vessels are regulated under the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Following work led by the UK, both the ATCM and CCAMLR have adopted practical guidelines for the exchange of ballast water in the Antarctic Treaty area, designed to minimise the risk of introducing non-native species.