The Antarctic Treaty Measures adopted at the Thirty-eighth Consultative Meeting held at Sofia 01 – 10 June 2015 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by Command of Her Majesty December 2016 Cm 9356 The Antarctic Treaty Measures adopted at the Thirty-eighth Consultative Meeting held at Sofia 01 – 10 June 2015 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by Command of Her Majesty December 2016 Cm 9356 © Crown copyright 2016 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government- licence/version/3/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at Treaty Section, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH Print ISBN 9781474138451 Web ISBN 9781474138468 Printed in the UK by the Williams Lea Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office ID P002844269 11/16 Printed on paper containing 30% recycled fibre content minimum MEASURES ADOPTED AT THE THIRTY-EIGTH ANTARCTIC TREATY CONSULTATIVE MEETING Sofia, Bulgaria 01-10 June 2015 The Measures1 adopted at the Thirty-sixth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting are reproduced below from the Final Report of the Meeting. In accordance with Article IX, paragraph 4, of the Antarctic Treaty, the Measures adopted at Consultative Meetings become effective upon approval by all Contracting Parties whose representatives were entitled to participate in the meeting at which they were adopted (i.e. all the Consultative Parties). The full text of the Final Report of the Meeting, including the Decisions and Resolutions adopted at that Meeting and colour copies of the maps found in this command paper, is available on the website of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat at www.ats.aq/documents. The approval procedures set out in Article 6 (1) of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty2 apply to Measures 1 to 18 (2015). The approval procedures set out in Article 8 of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty applies to Measure 19 (2015). 1As defined in Decision 1 (1995), published in Miscellaneous No. 28 (1996) Cm 3483 2 Treaty Series No. 15 (2006) Cm 6855 The texts of the Antarctic Treaty together with the texts of the Recommendations of the first three Consultative Meetings (Canberra 1961, Buenos Aires 1962 and Brussels 1964) have been published in Treaty Series No. 97 (1961) Cmnd. 1535 and Miscellaneous No. 23 (1965) Cmnd. 2822. The text of the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty has been published in Treaty Series No. 6 (1999) Cm 4256. The text of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty has been published in Treaty Series No. 15 (2006) Cm 6855. The Recommendations of the Fourth to Eighteenth Consultative Meetings, the Reports of the First to Sixth Special Consultative Meetings and the Measures adopted at the Nineteenth and the Measures adopted at the Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth, Thirty-first, Thirty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Consultative Meetings were also published as Command Papers. No Command Papers were published for the Twentieth to Twenty-fifth Consultative Meetings. 3 Measures Adopted at the XXXVIII Consultative Meeting held at Sofia, Bulgaria 01-10 June 2015 Measure 1 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101 (Taylor Rookery, Mac.Robertson Land): Revised Management Plan Page 6 Measure 2 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 102 (Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac.Robertson Land): Revised Management Plan Page 26 Measure 3 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 103 (Ardery Island and Odbert Island, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica): Revised Management Plan Page 42 Measure 4 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 104 (Sabrina Island, Balleny Islands): Revised Management Plan Page 61 Measure 5 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 105 (Beaufort Island, McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea): Revised Management Plan Page 72 Measure 6 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 106 (Cape Hallett, Northern Victoria Land, Ross Sea): Revised Management Plan Page 85 Measure 7 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 119 (Davis Valley and Forlidas Pond, Dufek Massif, Pensacola Mountains): Revised Management Plan Page 106 Measure 8 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 148 (Mount Flora, Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula): Revised Management Plan Page 127 Measure 9 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 152 (Western Bransfield Strait): Revised Management Plan Page 146 Measure 10 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 153 (Eastern Dallmann Bay): Revised Management Plan Page 159 Measure 11 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 155 (Cape Evans, Ross Island): Revised Management Plan Page 174 Measure 12 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 157 (Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds, Ross Island): Revised Management Plan Page 185 Measure 13 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 158 (Hut Point, Ross Island): Revised Management Plan Page 196 Measure 14 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 159 (Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast): Revised Management Plan Page 205 4 Measure 15 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 163 (Dakshin Gangotri Glacier, Dronning Maud Land): Revised Management Plan Page 215 Measure 16 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 164 (Scullin and Murray Monoliths, Mac.Robertson Land): Revised Management Plan Page 230 Measure 17 (2015): Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 168 (Mount Harding, Grove Mountains, East Antarctica): Revised Management Plan Page 246 Measure 18 (2015): Antarctic Specially Managed Area No. 2 (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land): Revised Management Plan Page 265 Measure 19 (2015): Revised List of Antarctic Historic Sites and Monuments: Lame Dog Hut at the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski, Livingston Island and Oversnow heavy tractor “Kharkovchanka” that was used in Antarctica from 1959 to 2010 Page 330 Annex: Revised List of Historic Sites and Monuments 5 Measure 1 (2015) Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 101 (Taylor Rookery, Mac.Robertson Land): Revised Management Plan The Representatives, Recalling Articles 3, 5 and 6 of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, providing for the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (“ASPA”) and the approval of Management Plans for those Areas; Recalling • Recommendation IV-1(1966), which designated Taylor Rookery, Mac.Robertson Land as Specially Protected Area (“SPA”) No 1; • Recommendation XVII-2 (1992), which adopted a Management Plan for the Area; • Decision 1 (2002), which renamed and renumbered SPA 1 as ASPA 101; • Measures 2 (2005) and 1 (2010), which adopted revised Management Plans for ASPA 101; Recalling that Recommendation XVII-2 (1992) has not become effective and was withdrawn by Measure 1 (2010); Noting that the Committee for Environmental Protection has endorsed a revised Management Plan for ASPA 101; Desiring to replace the existing Management Plan for ASPA 101 with the revised Management Plan; Recommend to their Governments the following Measure for approval in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 6 of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty: That: 1. The revised Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 101 (Taylor Rookery, Mac.Robertson Land), which is annexed to this Measure, be approved; and 2. The Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 101 annexed to Measure 1 ` (2010) be revoked. 6 Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101 TAYLOR ROOKERY, MAC.ROBERTSON LAND Introduction Taylor Rookery is an emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony located on the east side of Taylor Glacier, Mac.Robertson Land (67°27’S; 60°51’E, Map A). The site was originally designated as Specially Protected Area No. 1, through Recommendation IV-I (1966), after a proposal by Australia. A management plan for the Area was adopted under Recommendation XVII-2 (1992). In accordance with Decision 1 (2002) the site was redesignated and renumbered as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No. 101. Revised ASPA management plans were adopted under Measure 2 (2005) and Measure 1 (2010). Taylor Rookery is designated as an ASPA to protect the largest known colony of emperor penguins located entirely on land. 1. Description of values to be protected Of the 48 currently known emperor penguin colonies around Antarctica, the first land-based colony was only discovered at Emperor Island, Dion Islands, Antarctic Peninsula (67°52’S, 68°43’W) in 1948. About 150 breeding pairs occupied the island, but since the 1970s the population decreased and comprised only 22 pairs in 1999. No emperor penguins have been sighted at the Dion Islands since 2009 and the colony is likely to have become extinct. The colony at Taylor Glacier was the second land-based colony to be discovered, in October 1954. This colony is entirely land-based throughout the breeding season. Because of this uncommon characteristic this colony was designated as a Specially Protected Area in 1966, as was Emperor Island. A third land-based colony with about 250 pairs was discovered in Amundsen Bay, East Antarctica, in 1999. The emperor penguin colony at Taylor Glacier is the largest known land-based colony (Map B) and as such is of outstanding scientific importance. The Australian Antarctic program has monitored the population at the Taylor Glacier colony, intermittently from 1957 to 1987, and annually since 1988. Photographic censuses have resulted in counts with high levels of accuracy. The number of adults at the colony averaged about 3680 breeding pairs in the early years. In the 1988-2010 period, the population averaged 2930 pairs or 20.5% less than earlier years. From 2011-2014, a further drop of 12% occurred (unpublished data). The reasons for this decrease are unknown. Similar long term records are available only for two other emperor penguin colonies, near Dumont d’Urville (Pointe Géologie Archipelago, ASPA 120, 66º40’S, 140º01’E), and at Haswell Island (ASPA 127, 66º31’S, 7 93º00’E), where both colonies decreased by about 50% in the 1970s. Population data are also available for a number of colonies in the Ross Sea region. However, the records of the latter are not continuous and do not include counts of the colonies in winter. Each year the Australian Antarctic program makes no more than three visits, at different times of year, to Taylor Glacier. The colony is ideal for census work as it is surrounded by small rocky hills which make it possible to observe the penguins without entering the breeding area. Thus, human disturbance to the colony, especially since 1988, has been very low and direct human interference can be excluded as a potential factor influencing the health of this population. 2. Aims and Objectives Management of Taylor Rookery aims to: • avoid degradation of, or substantial risk to, the values of the Area by preventing unnecessary human disturbance; • allow research on the ecosystem and physical environment, particularly on the avifauna, provided it is for compelling reasons which cannot be served elsewhere; • minimise the possibility of introduction of pathogens which may cause disease in bird populations within the Area; • minimise the possibility of introduction of alien plants, animals and microbes to the Area; • allow for the gathering of data on the population status of the emperor penguin colony on a regular basis and in a sustainable manner; and • allow visits for management purposes in support of the aims of the management plan. 3. Management Activities The following management activities will be undertaken to protect the values of the Area: • visits shall be made to the Area as necessary (preferably not less than once every five years) to assess whether the Area continues to serve the purposes for which it was designated and to ensure that management activities are adequate: and • the Management Plan shall be reviewed at least every five years and updated as required. 8 4. Period of Designation Designated for an indefinite period. 5. Maps Map A: Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101, Taylor Rookery, Mawson Coast, Mac.Robertson Land, East Antarctica. The inset map indicates the location in relation to the Antarctic continent. Map B: Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101, Taylor Rookery: Topography and Emperor Penguin Colony. Map C: Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101, Taylor Rookery: Vehicle and Helicopter Approach and Landing Site. Map D: Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 101, Taylor Rookery: ASPA Boundary Points. All map specifications: Horizontal Datum: WGS84; Vertical Datum: Mean Sea Level. 6. Description of the Area 6(i) Geographical co-ordinates, boundary markers and natural features The Taylor Rookery ASPA consists of the whole of the northernmost rock exposure on the east side of Taylor Glacier, Mac.Robertson Land (67°27' 14”S, 60°53' 0”E, Map B). Boundary coordinates for the Area are provided at Appendix 1 and are shown on Map D. The Area boundary follows the coastline (at the low tide mark) from a point at the north-western corner of the Area at 67°27’4.9”S, 60°52’58.2”E (boundary point 1), in a roughly south-easterly direction to boundary point 6 (67°27’27.8”S, 60°53’7.7”E). The boundary then continues in a westerly and then northerly direction (roughly following the limit of the ice free area) to boundary point 22 (67°27’18”S, 60°52’50.2”E) then follows the ice cliff north to boundary point 23 (67°27’5.3”S, 60°52’57.1”E) and then joins back to boundary point 1. There are no boundary markers delimiting the site. The emperor penguin colony is located on a low lying rock outcrop in the south- west corner of a bay formed by Taylor Glacier to the west, the polar ice cap to the south and the islands of the Colbeck Archipelago to the east. The Area is surrounded by fast ice to the north and east. The Area is some 90 kilometres west of Mawson station. There is ice-free terrain adjacent to the glacier on the western boundary and to the south the rock rises steeply to meet the ice of the plateau. The rock itself forms a horseshoe around a central flat area of exposed rock and moraine. This area is covered with snow in winter and is occupied by the emperor penguins. A couple of small melt lakes form in late spring and a small stream exits to the north-east. The sides of the horseshoe are rounded ridges of rock which are 9