CCAMLR: Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention or CCAMLR) was established in 1982 for the purpose of protecting the marine life of the Antarctic. It applies to all Antarctic marine living organisms except whales (protected separately under the ICRW) and seals (protected under the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals). As CCAMLR encompasses fisheries management as well as environmental conservation within the Antarctic region, it serves the function of a RSCAP (regional seas convention and action plan) as well as that of a general RFMO (regional fisheries management organization) for the Antarctic region. The acronym “CCAMLR” is also used to refer to the international body responsible for overseeing its implementation, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources, based in Hobart, Tasmania.