The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica and represents approximately 15 percent of the world’s ocean area. It extends from the coast of the continent northwards to the Antarctic Polar Front, a physically and biologically distinct frontal zone where the cold water of the Southern Ocean encounters, and flows under, the warmer and more saline sub-Antarctic water of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The Commission and the Scientific Committee cooperate with intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations for mutual benefit. Cooperation may be informal or, as appropriate, by formal agreement.
CCAMLR maintains mutually beneficial relations with a wide range of other multilateral organisations, industry associations and civil society. Article XXIII of the CAMLR Convention provides that:
Ten States have acceded to the Convention. The Status of the Convention is maintained by the Depositary, Australia. Contact details for Acceding States is provided below.
The Secretariat structure supports the vision, mission and goals of the CCAMLR Secretariat Strategic Plan (2023–2026). The Secretariat has 26 staff distributed across five sections:
Secretariat staff are employed under conditions set out in the Staff Regulations .
