Planning activities in Antarctica

Submit an Advance Notification form to MFAT as early as possible. The form tells us what kinds of activities you’re planning, when and where you’re going, and what potential environmental impacts your activities may have. The information you provide will help us determine:

·                the level of Environmental Impact Assessment your activity requires

·                whether your activity requires permits

·                what supporting information you’ll need to provide

·                the likely assessment timeframe

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It’s important to let us know about all of the activities you’re planning – even if you don’t think they will have any adverse impacts.

Complete and submit the Activities in Antarctica: Advance Notification form  [pdf 240 KB]

You must notify MFAT well in advance of your planned activities

Provide your Advance Notification form as early as possible, so you have plenty of time to complete the other planning steps. As a guide:

·                for smaller-scale activities only requiring a Preliminary Environmental Evaluation, submit your Advance Notification by either:

o   1 June (for activities between October and December)

o   1 August (for activities between January and March).

·                for larger-scale activities requiring an Initial Environmental Evaluation, submit your Advance Notification by 1 April.

Include evidence of your contingency plans and insurance

As part of your application, you must show that you have suitable contingency plans and insurance in place before starting activities. Your contingency planning needs to cover:

•              health and safety

•              search and rescue

•              medical care and evacuation

•              environmental emergencies.

Activities in Antarctica should be planned on the basis of self-sufficiency. This means you should not rely on National Antarctic Programmes or other operators for support, unless you have formal arrangements in place with them.

Contact MFAT even if you have approval from another country

If you already have approval from another Antarctic Treaty Party, or plan to seek approval from another country, you should still contact MFAT to check if New Zealand legislation applies to your planned activity.

All Antarctic activities require an approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). An EIA identifies potential environmental impacts of your activity, and explains how you will avoid, minimise, monitor, and manage them. It also details your contingency planning and insurance, as indicated in your Advance Notification.

Depending on the nature and scale of your planned activity, you may need to prepare a:

·                Preliminary Environmental Evaluation (PEE)

·                Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE)

·                Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE).

Based on your Advance Notification Form, we'll tell you the appropriate level of assessment for your activities and provide an EIA template. 

Once your EIA is complete, MFAT and other relevant government agencies will review it and recommend a decision to the Minister of Foreign Affairs or their delegate.

Some activities require permits

Some activities may also require a special permit, such as:

·                entering Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA), including Historic Huts

·                removing or introducing any flora and fauna

·                collecting samples.

You’ll need to apply for permits as part of your EIA. We’ll let you know if your activities require permits.

Complete your EIA with plenty of time for review

Please provide your completed EIA well in advance of your activities. This gives MFAT enough time to review your EIA, discuss conditions and permits with you, and complete an Activity Authorisation. As a guide:

·                for PEE-level activities, submit your EIA by either:

o   July (for activities between October–December)

o   September (for activities between January–March)

·                for IEE-level activities, submit your EIA by early June.

You may require separate approvals for certain activities

Depending on your activities, you may also need approvals under other New Zealand legislation. These approvals could relate, for example, to:

·                marine mammals and marine living resources

·                animal ethics

·                biosecurity matters

·                visits to New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands.

You’re responsible for determining whether your activities are likely to require separate approvals.

You can find more information on preparing an EIA and applying for separate approvals in the guide, Planning Activities in Antarctica: New Zealand Processes for Approval.

If the Minister (or their delegate) is satisfied with your EIA, you will receive an Activity Authorisation. These are issued under the Antarctica (Environmental Protection) Act 1994. 

Your Authorisation may include:

·                additional conditions or directions for you to follow

·                extra monitoring and reporting requirements

·                permits granted for your activity.

An Antarctic Observer may monitor your compliance

Tourism operators may be required to include an Antarctic Observer on their journey. An Observer will independently monitor compliance with your approved EIA, Activity Authorisations, permits, and relevant environmental requirements. Observers also contribute to environmental monitoring programmes. You will be responsible for the costs of carrying an Observer. 

Report back on your activities

Your Activity Authorisation will include a requirement for post-activity reporting. You must complete your reporting in the template we provide and email it to MFAT within one month of your return (or by the date in the Activity Authorisation).

All activities require a Post-Activity Environmental Performance Report. For tourism activities, you must also complete an Antarctic Treaty Post Visit Report.

These reports help assess environmental outcomes, verify compliance with approvals, and contribute to international reporting under the Antarctic Treaty System.