Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

Antarctic seals like this sea leopard are protected by a convention.
Source: Fritz Hertel/UBA

When Captain Cook discovered South Georgia in the late 18th century he reported of innumerable fur seals on its shores and thus signalled the onset of a merciless hunt on the seals of Antarctica, which brought many species to the brink of extinction. Since 1972 animals have been protected under the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS).

The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS), which is aimed at protecting the stocks of Antarctic seals from commercial exploitation, was signed on 1 June 1972. It entered into force in 1978.

The objective of the Convention is to protect and enable scientific research on Antarctic seals and to maintain a satisfactory balance in the Antarctic ecosystem. Seal populations in Antarctica have since recovered, proof that the CCAS is a successful international agreement.

The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation is the German competent authority.

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

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