Lead institution:
Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB) – Germany
Antarctica and its surrounding waters are experiencing growing commercial, scientific, and political activity. The Southern Ocean is no longer remote, attracting scientists, fishers, and tourists, sometimes for exploitation. At the same time, it plays a crucial role in regulating climate through ocean currents, sea ice, and CO₂ absorption, while undergoing climate-related changes.
These developments highlight the urgent need for effective management to ensure resilience against human pressures and climate change. This project integrates natural and social sciences to address the Southern Ocean’s dilemma: balancing competing interests while generating knowledge to understand its changes. The four subprojects are: #1 Geopolitical dilemmas for management: transfer for governance #2 Sustaining the keystone: Rethinking Antarctic krill fishery management #3 Navigating uncertainty: Planning marine protected areas #4 Acoustic possibilities for Southern Ocean management dilemmas
Start Date: 01/01/2026
End Date: 31/12/2028
Lead Contact: Ruth Krause (ruth.krause@hifmb.de)