Supporting Science
The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty designates Antarctica as a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. IAATO and its members adhere to this principle and actively work to advocate and support science and research on the continent.
Since its inception back in 1991, IAATO has taken a proactive role in managing pressure on the Antarctic environment, working within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System to help visitors have an enriching experience while having no more than a minor or transitory impact. Part of this work involves supporting scientific research and forming successful collaborations that will help IAATO and policy makers make better decisions about Antarctica’s ongoing protection and long-term future.
Each year, IAATO submits Information Papers about its activities, including statistics, to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, advocating for the responsible management of all human activity in Antarctica. IAATO also regularly seeks expert, independent advice to analyse and publish data to facilitate discussions internally and at policy level.
Conservation Planning for the Antarctic Peninsula
Overview of the Project As human activity grows across Antarctica and as environmental change becomes more pronounced, it becomes increasingly pressing to determine how to best conserve its unique biodiversity and environments. The Antarctic Peninsula, home to much of the continent’s biodiversity, has a comparatively mild climate and close proximity to South America, making it the most visited region of Antarctica for both science and tourism. Improving the management of human activity in the region is a key priority for IAATO and many Antarctic Treaty Parties, where an integrated approach is required to facilitate management of multiple values and stakeholders, particularly where human activity is highly concentrated. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and IAATO are developing an integrative, evidence-based approach to site management, incorporating all activities (science and tourism) and all known biodiversity features (such as breeding seabird colonies, vegetation, and invertebrates).
Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) is a routine approach employed by conservation biologists to aid decision makers in managing whole landscapes involving multiple stakeholders and multiple objectives. SCAR, IAATO and project partners are utilising the SCP approach to develop an SCP for the Antarctic Peninsula that will deliver quantifiable, evidence-based solutions for the simultaneous management of tourism, science and biodiversity in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
Coordination Group
A Coordination Group, consisting of SCAR and IAATO members, with observers from Monash University, has been formed to help oversee the project. The coordination group meets regularly and will continue to for the duration of the project. The group is chaired by Amanda Lynnes (IAATO) and Dr Chandrika Nath (SCAR).
Liaison Group
SCAR and IAATO have established a liaison group for the project. The liaison group consists of interested stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers and managers, that help to provide the project with input, advice and where appropriate, further data.
Project Updates
A post-doctoral researcher, Dr Jasmine Lee, was appointed to the project and commenced work in April 2019 at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Work has been undertaken to define the objectives of the project, to identify and collect relevant data, identify appropriate conservation decision support software, and establish where stakeholder engagement is required. Stakeholder engagement forms a major component of the project method and has now commenced with the liaison group, invited experts and IAATO members. A dedicated session was held in February 2020 to engage tourism operators in the process at an IAATO workshop on managing for growth in the Antarctic Peninsula. Operators successfully provided input and identified their values in the Antarctic Peninsula. An equivalent workshop for scientists and policymakers has been held online. Over 50 science and policy experts are involved in the process.
Contact Details
For more information about the project please contact Amanda Lynnes at IAATO or Dr Chandrika Nath at SCAR.
Scientific Support
Each season, between November and April, IAATO member companies provide logistic and scientific support to scores of researchers and station personnel from national Antarctic programs and Antarctic organizations. This includes providing platforms for collecting data in the field and/or transporting personnel, equipment and supplies to stations, research camps or other vessels. With regular departures to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia throughout the season, IAATO vessels provide a cost-effective transport link and often engage in charter work for national Antarctic programs or other projects.
Long term monitoring projects are particularly important, especially in areas like the Antarctic Peninsula which is undergoing significant environmental change and where there is a lot of overlapping human activity in the form of research, fishing and tourism. IAATO operators annually carry researchers in support of projects such as Penguin Watch and the Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics (MAPPPD ). Both projects aim to alert scientists to any environmental change and help them understand what is causing it. In turn, policy makers, industry and other stakeholders can use this information to make decisions about managing human activity for the benefit of Antarctica.
Specific requests for logistic or other support should be made to individual companies or the IAATO Secretariat.
Identifying, understanding and acting for whales
IAATO expedition vessels form valuable platforms for research, harnessing the power of thousands of whale-watching enthusiasts. Over the years, data collected by scientists, guides and visitors have helped identify and track marine mammals in Antarctica and across the globe, expanding our knowledge of their behaviour, populations and distribution. For example, we now know there are at least five different ecotypes of killer whale in the Southern Ocean. Although their ranges overlap, they do not mix socially and specialise in catching different prey. The Type D killer whale has remained elusive for decades, but in 2019 a pod was finally encountered by an IAATO vessel, allowing scientists to take photographs, underwater recordings and genetic samples.
Happywhale encourages citizen scientists to upload their images of the mammals they encounter on their travels to its website. Identification experts can then examine these pictures to see if they match any whales already stored in the database, or if they are new to science. The contributors are notified of the results and can follow ‘their’ whale on its travels.
Such research informs conservation management decisions. In 2019, IAATO took the unprecedented step of establishing vessel slow areas covering more than 20,000km2 in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
Latest Articles
Applications Open for First Antarctic Fellowships of 2025
WE ARE HIRING: IAATO Seeks Director of Operations
IAATO Stalwart Lisa Kelley appointed Executive Director
