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GIS for Science
HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND MANAGING AUTHORITIES
Within areas beyond national jurisdiction, the authority to regulate human activities belongs to various intergovernmental organizations, including the International Maritime Organization for shipping activities, the International Seabed Authority for seabed mining activities, and regional fishery management bodies, which regulate fishing activities for specific fishery species and geographic regions.
CONSERVATION DISTINCTIONS
1966 1976
1995
The International Maritime Organization is responsible for regulating international shipping activities on the oceans, which includes having the authority to implement conservation measures to prevent potential environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems. Specifically, the International Maritime Organization has the authority to designate particular sensitive sea areas, which may be protected by ship routing measures, such as areas to be avoided by all ships, or by certain classes of ships. There have been no particular sensitive sea area designations anywhere on the high seas, nor are there any shipping route limitations around the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges. However, with the exception of the northern section of the Nazca Ridge, this region does not contain major commercial shipping routes.
While deep-sea mining has not yet occurred, regulations for this developing industry are currently being created. The International Seabed Authority, an intergovernmen- tal institution established under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, is mandated with developing deep-sea mining regulations in areas beyond national jurisdiction, commonly known as the mining code. The mining code is currently only applicable to the prospecting or exploration for deep-sea minerals, but not yet to the exploitation or collection of minerals for commercial purposes, regulations for the latter of which are still under development. To date, the International Seabed Authority has approved 31 licenses to explore for seabed minerals, which are located in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, the North West Pacific, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Rio Grande Rise (South Atlantic), and several areas in the Indian Ocean. No contracts have been issued for the exploration of deep-sea minerals in the South Pacific. While commercially valuable seabed minerals occur on seamounts of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges, the International Seabed Authority has not yet developed explora- tion regulations in this region. Thus, this area could be proactively closed to seabed mining without having any impact on this developing industry.
Fishing activities on the high seas surrounding the ridges are managed by two regional fishery management organizations: the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, which manages highly migratory fishery species such as tuna, billfish, and sharks; and the outh Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization, which manages non-highly migratory fishery species, such as jack mackerel, giant squid, and orange roughy. Some historical fishing has targeted Chilean jack mackerel, giant squid, tuna, striped bonito, marlin, and swordfish on the ridges. However, today most of the fishing in this region targets pelagic species and is primarily focused on high seas waters outside Peru. For fisheries managed by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation, fishing is virtually nonexistent. The orange roughy fishery has been closed in this region since 2006, and total effort for giant squid and Chilean jack mackerel have collectively accounted for less than one day in eight years. Similarly, catch data for most species of billfishes and sharks have been zero in this region in the last 10 years, with the exception of black marlin, blue marlin, striped marlin, and swordfish. However, low catch rates for these species have cumulatively accounted for only 40 metric tons in the last 10 years. In contrast, tuna fisheries targeting skipjack, bigeye, and yellowfin tuna, are active in the region; however, these activities are strongly localized in the area just outside Peruvian national waters. These activities are all conducted by distant water fishing fleets, as more than 96% of the fishing effort in this region is conducted by vessels flagged by China, Spain, Japan, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea. Importantly, these tuna fishing fleets are much more successful when operating in areas outside the ridges. Thus, closing the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges to commercial fishing activities would have little or no impact on fishing industries.
2011
The Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges are recognized as a important area by the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative and the Census of Marine Life on Seamounts.
Chile establishes the Rapa Nui National Park to protect ~40% of the terrestrial areas of Easter Island for their extraordinary cultural significance.
Chile establishes the Salas y Gómez Nature Sanctuary to protect the entire land of Salas y Gómez Island.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognizes the Rapa Nui National Park as a World Heritage Site for its exceptional cultural significance.
2010 Chile establishes the Motu Motiro Hiva Marine Park to protect 150,000
BirdLife International recognizes the islands of Salas y Gómez, San Felix, and San Ambrosio
as Important Bird Areas.
km2 around Salas y Gómez Island.
2014 The Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges are recognized as an ecologically or
biologically significant area at the 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
2015 Chile establishes the Nazca- Desventuradas Marine Park to protect
300,035 km2 around the islands of San Félix and San Ambrosio, also known as the Desventuradas Islands.
Chile passes the vulnerable ecosystem law, thereby protecting all Chilean waters surrounding the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges from bottom trawling.
Mission Blue recognizes the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges as a Hope Spot, which are special places that are critical to the health of our global ocean.
2016
2018 Chile establishes the
Rapa Nui Multi-Use Marine Coastal Protected Area designated, which protects 579,368 km2 around Easter Island, thereby making it the largest marine protected area in the Americas.
Chile designates the Mar de Juan Fernández Multiple-Use Coastal Marine Protected Area to protect 12,000 km2 around the Juan Fernández Archipelago.
2021
As a result of its unique collection of natural and cultural resources, the region has
been highlighted for its exceptional significance by numerous organizations.
Chile establishes the Mar de Juan Fernández Marine Park to protect 286,000 km2 around the Juan Fernández Archipelago.
Chile expands the Mar de Juan Fernández Multiple-Use Coastal Marine Protected Area to protect 24,000 km2 around the islands of Juan Fernández.
Peru creates Nazca Ridge National Reserve to protect 62,392 sq. km of seafloor in Peruvian waters around the Nazca Ridge."