Antarctica Glossary and Acronyms

For the purposes of this site, the following definitions and acronyms apply.

Definitions

National Representatives

• Government observers (appointed as General Inspectors under s.39 of the Antarctica Environmental Protection Act) carried on tour ships to observe and report on compliance with the Environmental Protocol and the domestic legislation which implements it.

Private

• Any activities not conducted or supported by the Government.

Ross Dependency

• The area over which New Zealand formally asserted sovereignty in 1923 by an Order in Council, defined as all the islands and territories below 60° south, between 160° east and 150° west.

Ross Sea region

• A natural geographic area bounded by, and including, the Siple, Shirase and Saunders coasts in Marie Byrd, the Ross Ice Shelf, and the Transantarctic Mountains from the Amundsen Coast to the Pennell Coast in Oates Land. The Northern boundary of this region is 60 degrees south.

Wilderness

• A natural, undisturbed and pristine area where the natural habitat and ecosystems characteristic of that area remain relatively intact.

Acronyms

• AHT Antarctic Heritage Trust
• CCAMLR Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
• CEE Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation
• CEP Committee for Environmental Protection
• COMNAP Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs
• DoC Department of Conservation
• EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
• IAATO International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators
• IEE Initial Environmental Evaluation
• MARPOL International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
• MFAT Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• PEE Preliminary Environmental Evaluation