◎蔡子岳
The countries that decide the fate of Antarctica’s waters reached an historic agreement on Friday to create the world’s largest marine protected area in the ocean next to the frozen continent.
關係南極海命運的多國週五達成歷史性協定，要在永凍大陸旁劃設世界最大海洋保護區。
(newsreportcenter)
The agreement comes after years of diplomatic wrangling and high-level talks between the U.S. and Russia, which has rejected the idea in the past.
協定經美國和俄羅斯多年外交角力及高層磋商方才敲定，俄國過往反對此提案。
Proponents of the reserve say it sets a precedent for multiple countries working together to protect a large swath of ocean, which falls outside any single nation’s jurisdiction.
保育推動人士表示，這為多國協力、跨越單一國家管轄權保護大範圍海洋創下前例。
(Photo: Natacha Pisarenko, AP)
The agreement covers an area about twice the size of Texas in the Ross Sea. The deal was clinched after 24 countries and the European Union met in Hobart, Australia, this week. Decisions on Antarctic fishing require a consensus among the 25 members, a hurdle which has confounded past efforts.
於羅斯海，此協定涵蓋面積約是德州2倍大。做出南極漁業決定需要25國共識，以往跨不過這障礙。
The marine protected area covers 1.6 million square kilometers. There will be a blanket ban on commercial fishing across about three-quarters of that area. In the remaining ocean zones, some commercial fishing will be allowed.
此海洋保護區廣達160萬平方公里。區域中4分之3面積將全面禁止商業捕魚。其餘地區則允許部分商業捕撈。
(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Several countries fish in the waters surrounding Antarctica for lucrative toothfish, which are often marketed in North America as Chilean sea bass.
南極周圍許多國捕撈智利圓鱈銷到北美牟利。
The agreement will take effect from December 2017 and, for most of the reserve, will last an initial 35 years.
協定將於2017年12月起生效，大部分保護區起始效期為35年。
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