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Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 161

Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea

1. Description values to be protected

A coastal marine area between Adélie Cove and Tethys Bay, Terra Nova Bay, is desiugnated on the grounds that it is an important littoral area for well-established and long-term scientific investigations. The Area extends approximately 9.4 km southward from Terra Nova Bay Station and up to a maximum of 7 km from the shore. No marine resource harvesting has been, is currently, or is planned to be, conducted within the Area, nor in the immediate vicinity. The site is typically ice-free in summer, rare for coastal areas in the Ross Sea region, making it an ideal and accessible site for research into the near-shore benthic communities in the region. Extensive marine ecological research has been carried out at Terra Nova Bay since 1986–87.
High diversity at both species and community levels make this Area of high ecological and scientific value. Studies have revealed a complex array of species assemblages, often co-existing in mosaics. There exist assemblages with high species richness and complex functioning, alongside loosely structured, low diversity assemblages. Moreover, the sponge and anthozoan communities at Terra Nova Bay show an unique structure and long-term transects have been established to monitor changes in coastal benthic communities, both natural and human-induced. A population of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) at Adélie Cove allows assessment of the effects of this colony on the adjacent marine environment.
It is important to protect the Area as far as possible from direct human impacts in order that it can be used to monitor potential impacts arising from activities at the scientific station of Terra Nova Bay. The high ecological and scientific values derived from the diverse range of species and assemblages, in particular through the collection of extensive data on these features, together with the vulnerability of the Area to disturbance by pollution, over-sampling and alien introductions, are such that the Area requires long-term special protection.

2. Aims and objectives

3. Management activities

A copy of this Management Plan shall be kept available, at Terra Nova Bay Station;

4. Period of designation

Designated for an indefinite period.

5. Maps and photographs

Map 1: Terra Nova Bay bathymetric map.

6. Description of the Area

6(i) Geographical co-ordinates, boundary markers and natural features

The designated Area is situated in Terra Nova Bay, between the Campbell Glacier Tongue and Drygalski Ice Tongue, Victoria Land. The Area is confined to a narrow strip of coastal waters to the south of Terra Nova Bay Station (Italy), extending approximately 9.4 km in length and generally within 1.5 – 7 km of the shore, comprising an area of 29.4 km2 (Map 1).

The western boundary of the Area is defined as the mean high water mark along the coastline extending between 74°42’57”S in the north (2.3 km south of Terra Nova Bay Station) and 74°48’00”S in the south (the southern shore of Adélie Cove), and includes the intertidal zone (Map 1). The northern boundary of the Area is defined as the 74°42’57”S line of latitude, extending from the coast 1.55 km eastward to the 164°10’00”E line of longitude. The southern boundary is defined as the 74°48’00”S line of latitude, extending from the coast 3.63 km eastward to the 164°10’00”E line of longitude. The eastern boundary of the Area is defined as the 164°10’00”E line of longitude extending between 74°42’57”S in the north and 74°48’00”S in the south.

The coastline of Terra Nova Bay is characterised predominantly by rocky cliffs, with large boulders forming occasional ‘beaches’. In the sheltered areas, the soft bottom begins at a depth of 20–30 m. The tidal range is 1.5–2 m and pack ice of approximately 2–2.5 m thick covers the sea surface for 9–10 months of the year. Along the coastline of the Area there are two main coves; the larger Adélie Cove in the south and a smaller cove around 3 km to its north. The sea floor substrate of the smaller consists of pebbles of various sizes, while Adélie Cove is characterised by fine-grained, muddy sediments. An Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony is situated at Adélie Cove. Outside of the coves, the sea floor characteristics and benthic species assemblages are relatively homogenous along the coastal length of the Area, and are observed to vary more particularly with the vertical gradient.

The seafloor within the Area is primarily granitic rock, with softer substrates composed of coarse sands or gravels. In the supralittoral zone, only cyanobacteria and diatoms colonise the hard substrates, while the intertidal zone (1.5–2.0 m wide) has, in the most sheltered areas, a high coverage of the green alga Urospora penicilliformis and Prasiola crispa. Below the tidal zone, down to 2–3 m depth, the community is very poor, due to the persistent presence and scouring action of pack ice, and is mainly composed of epilithic diatoms and the crustacean amphipod Paramoera walkeri. Immediately deeper, rocks can be fully colonised by the red alga Iridaea cordata, frequently found with Plocamium cartilagineum, to a depth of 12 m. At this level Alcyonium antarcticum and Urticinopsis antarctica can be occasionally observed, the asteroid Odontaster validus and the echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri are common. Phyllophora antarctica is another red alga forming expanded mats from 12 to 25 m depth, often fully colonised by sessile organisms, mainly hydroids, serpulids and bryozoans (Celleporella antarctica and Harpecia spinosissima). Numerous invertebrates, such as the polychaete Harmothoe brevipalpa, the mollusc Laevilittorina antarctica, the crustacean amphipod Paramoera walkeri and the isopod Nototanais dimorphus feed on these algal species and can be very abundant. On rocky bottoms in deeper layers, the algal colonisation is replaced by a calcareous crustose coralline alga (Clathromorphum lemoineanum).

The soft bottoms from 20–40 m depth are coarse sands and gravels, where the community is characterised by the mollusc bivalve Laternula elliptica and the polychaete Aglaophamus ornatus (Nephtiidae). The bivalve Yoldia eightsi is abundant in fine-sand sediments.

Between 30–70 m, the substrate becomes finer and is completely colonised by the bivalve Adamussium colbecki, the shells of which are colonised by a micro-community comprising mainly forams, bryozoans (Aimulosia antarctica, Arachnopusia decipiens, Ellisina antarctica, Micropora brevissima) and the spirorbid Paralaeospira levinsenii.

In this region, large predators such as the gastropod Neobuccinum eatoni and the nemertean Parborlasia corrugatus are frequent. The echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri and the starfish Odontaster validus are still very frequent at all depths on both hard and mobile substrates (Chiantore et al., 2002; Cerrano et al., 2000b).

Below 70–75 m down to 120–130 m depth, heterogeneous substrates allow hard- and soft-bottom communities to coexist. On the sparse rocky outcrops the encrusting algae disappear and the benthic communities are dominated by the sessile zoobenthos. This diversified filter feeding assemblage is mainly characterised by sponges and anthozoans, while in soft sediments detritus-feeder polychaetes and bivalves dominate. Among sponges, which can reach very high biomass values, Axociella nidificata, Calyx arcuarius, Gellius rudis, Phorbas glaberrima, Tedania charcoti, are very abundant. Numerous invertebrates constitute an important component of this assemblage which develops down to 120-140 m depth. These include the epibiont polychaete Barrukia cristata on Thouarellid gorgonians, crustacean peracarids, pycnogonids, mollusc opisthobranchs (Austrodoris kerguelenensis, Tritoniella belli) and bivalves, ophiuroids and holothuroids, bryozoans, and the endobionts. A peculiar community, dominated by polychaetes and by the bivalve Limatula hodgsoni, can be associated with these mats.

Below 130 m the hard substrates become very sparse and are mainly colonised by the polychaete Serpula narconensis and several bryozoans (Arachnopusia decipiens, Ellisina antarctica, Flustra angusta, F. vulgaris and Isoschizoporella similis). The dominant muddy bottoms are instead characterised by tubicolous polychaetes, mainly Spiophanes. Much deeper, at about 150-200 m depth, brachiopods and various species of bivalves characterise the environment on small gravels as well as on the soft bottom.

Finally, the faunal assemblage of the Area includes notothenioid fishes, represented especially by species of the Trematomus group, including T. bernacchi, T. pennelli, T. hansoni and T. loennbergii.

6(ii) Restricted zones within the Area

None.

6(iii) Structures within and near the Area

There are no structures within the Area. The nearest structure is the atmospheric monitoring facility 650 m north of the northern boundary of the Area, and Terra Nova Bay Station (74°41’42”S, 164°07’23”E) is situated on a peninsula adjacent to Tethys Bay,1.65 km farther north.

6(iv) Location of other protected areas within close proximity of the Area

ASPA No. 118, summit of Mount Melbourne, 45 km to the NE, is the only other protected area within close proximity.

7. Permit conditions

Entry into the Area is prohibited except in accordance with a Permit issued by an appropriate national authority.

7(i) Access to and movement within the Area

Access into the Area shall be by sea, land, over sea ice or by air. There are no specific restrictions on routes of access to and movement within the Area, although movements should be kept to the minimum necessary. Anchoring is prohibited within the Area. There are no overflight restrictions within the Area and aircraft may land by Permit when sea ice conditions allow. Ship or small boat crew, or other people on small boats or ships, are prohibited from moving beyond the immediate vicinity of their vessel unless specifically authorized by Permit.

7(ii) Activities that are or may be conducted within the Area, including restrictions on time or place

7(iii) Installation, modification or removal of structures

Structures or scientific equipment shall not be installed within the Area except as specified in a Permit.

7(iv) Location of field camps

None within the Area. An occasional field camp has been positioned on the beach at Adélie Cove.

7(v) Restrictions on materials and organisms which can be brought into the Area

No living animals, plant material, pathogens or microorganisms shall be deliberately introduced into the Area. Poultry products shall not be released into the Area. No herbicides or pesticides shall be introduced into the Area. Any other chemicals, including radio-nuclides or stable isotopes, which may be introduced for scientific or management purposes specified in the Permit, shall be used in the minimum quantities necessary.

7(vi) Taking or harmful interference with native flora or fauna

Taking or harmful interference with native flora or fauna is prohibited.

7(vii) Collection and removal of anything not brought into the Area by the Permit holder

Material may be collected or removed only in accordance with a Permit and should be limited to the minimum necessary to meet scientific or management needs.

7(viii) Disposal of waste

All wastes shall be removed from the Area.

7(ix) Measures that are necessary to ensure that the aims and objectives of the Management Plan can continue to be met

1. Permits may be granted to carry out biological monitoring and site inspection activities.
2. Any specific sites of long-term monitoring should be marked on site and on maps of the Area.
3. To maintain the values of the marine communities , visitors shall take special precautions against marine pollution. Of concern are the release or spillage of hydrocarbons from ships, and biological introductions. To minimize the risk of such pollution, visitors shall ensure that sampling equipment or markers brought into the Area are clean. Vessels that are found to show fuel leakage, or a significant risk of such leakage, are prohibited from entering the Area. If a fuel leak from a vessel is discovered while within the Area, the vessel shall leave the Area unless the leak can be promptly stopped. Handling of fuels and oil within the Area shall be the minimum necessary consistent with meeting the objectives of the permitted activities.

7(x) Requirements for reports

Parties should ensure that the principal holder for each Permit issued submits to the appropriate authority a report describing the activities undertaken.