New Zealand procedures for Antarctic tourists and non-governmental visitors

• New Zealand Government Procedures - Background
• New Zealand Policy Statement on Tourism and Other Non-Governmental Activities in Antarctica
• The procedures

New Zealand Government procedures on Antarctic tourism and non-governmental activities

New Zealand Government procedures on Antarctic tourism and non-governmental activities

Tourism in the Antarctic region has diversified and expanded recently. Since 1992 visitor numbers have risen from approximately 6700 in 1992 to more than 35,000 in 2008.

New Zealand is working within the Antarctic Treaty System to make its tourism management more effective and ensure it is conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

New Zealand's policy is based on a precautionary approach to protect the fragile Antarctic environment.

In 2003 the Government adopted a policy statement on tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica. The policy responded to:

• increasing concern about managing environmental effects of tourism
• safety
• potential jurisdictional issues that may arise as a result of expansion and diversification of these activities.

New Zealand Policy Statement on Tourism and Other Non-Governmental Activities in Antarctica

Consistent with Antarctica’s status as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science, and the obligation to minimise the environmental impacts of all activities, New Zealand will work within the Antarctic Treaty System to limit tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica, and to ensure that where they do occur they are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner by:

1. seeking the strengthening, and where appropriate the addition, of the means to manage effectively, and where necessary control, tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica. A particular aim should be to ensure all such activities are assessed before commencement for the highest possible prevention of incident standards and have in place credible and effective response mechanisms should an incident occur
2. avoiding the promotion of any further expansion of Antarctic tourism, and supporting limits on visitation of sites where cumulative impacts are likely to lead to deterioration
3. opposing any expansion of permanent or semi-permanent land-based tourism in Antarctica, especially in the Ross Dependency
4. continuing to limit the extent of government support to tourist and other non-governmental expeditions to Antarctica to humanitarian assistance and basic hospitality (such as short visits to Scott Base).

New Zealand procedures for non-governmental visitors to Antarctica

1 Procedures

• 1.1 Advance Notification
• 1.2 EIA under the Antarctica (Environmental Protection) Act
• 1.3 Permits under the Antarctica (Environmental Protection) Act
• 1.4 Permits under the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Act

2 Other Requirements

• 2.1: Permission to visit Scott Base and New Zealand field stations
• 2.2: Permits to visit New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands
• 2.3: Post-activity reporting
• 2.4: Maritime Transport Act
• 2.5: National Representatives

3 Planning Antarctic Activities?

• 3.1: Antarctic Treaty Recommendation XVIII-I
• 3.2: Insurance and Contingency Planning: Measure 4 (2004) and Resolution 4 (2004)
• 3.3: Safety in the Antarctic
• 3.4: Relevant organisations