These creatures are never touched but a close encounter happens. Most tourists come to the Antarctic Peninsula.
The reasons for the increase in tourist numbers include: Tourism is a growing industry. Media has made people more aware of extreme environments. There are more flexible patterns of work. Air travel is more economically viable, and can be booked more conveniently over the internet.
Making tourism sustainable means increasing the benefits of tourism and reducing its negative impacts. Some of the islands have coverings of moss and lichen as well as megaherbs. The albatross is, sadly, threatened by long-line fishing. They swallow the hooks embedded in the fish and are dragged underwater, where they drown. To support more general Antarctic research, including monitoring climate change, you can make a donation to the Scott Polar Research Institute.
History Since Who are we? Get in touch Contact us - call or email Call us from anywhere No queues or automation Sign up to our newsletter. ABTA member P so you are fully protected. Follow us on Facebook. Photo credits: [Page banner: Ondrej Prosicky ]. Recently viewed. Holidays that you view will be shown here. Bioprospectors have been interested in an alkali-tolerant yeast, found in sediments of Lake Vanda, fish, sponges, lichen and mosses as well as some micro-organisms.
Anti-freeze glycoproteins found in some species of Antarctic fish which stop them freezing could be used to improve fish farm production in cold climates, extend the shelf-life of frozen food and improve the preservation of transplanted tissue.
It was first discussed within the Antarctic Treaty System in Since then it has been discussed during the following meetings of:. Bioprospecting is taking place in Antarctica and it is possible that these activities will increase in the future. A number of commercial products have been produced directly from Antarctic genetic material although some research is now quite advanced. The Antarctic Treaty does not currently have formal or separate rules for regulating access and benefit sharing arising from bioprospecting.
The Protocol does provide for the protection of flora and fauna and protection of the environment and national legislation regulates all activities undertaken in Antarctica. Bioprospecting has the advantage of being quite a sustainable use of resources as generally very small samples are required for scientific research meaning that the environmental impact can remain quite small.
As there are a limited number of people conducting activities in Antarctica it makes it much easier to monitor bioprospecting activities in situ, although tracking and regulating such genetic resources outside of the Antarctic is much more difficult. In addition, bioprospecting could result in increased funding for basic Antarctic research. Obviously any bioprospecting which involved harvesting of species could have adverse environmental impacts.
Tourism, mining, fishing and bioprospecting are just four activities that could threaten the sustainability of Antarctica in the future. All of these interests have the potential to damage, change or destroy Antarctica and its surrounding oceans if not carefully controlled, managed or banned. Polar Operations Our operational strategy Our operational teams Operational collaborations Engineering and technology Polar fieldwork opportunities How to apply Pre-deployment training.
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How does the British Antarctic Survey ensure its research activities do not damage the Antarctic environment?
Concern for the environment has been translated from policy into real action in Antarctica through: Development of a four-person Antarctic Environmental Office team by the British Antarctic Survey; Routine removal of all hazardous waste and general rubbish from UK stations and ships for proper disposal outside of Antarctica; Environmental assessment of all new scientific and building projects.
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