17 Oct 2007 - London,
UK – WWF's highest accolade, the Duke of
Edinburgh Conservation Medal, has been awarded
to Dr Denzil Miller, Executive Secretary
for the Commission for the Conservation
of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
Dr Miller received the award for implementing
significant innovations by CCAMLR that have
directly enhanced the preservation of the
Southern Ocean.
“As the head of one of the world's leading
conservation commissions, Dr Miller has
shown exemplary leadership, responding to
the global fishing crisis by pioneering
new ways to safeguard our seas, particularly
in the Southern Ocean,” said WWF International’s
Director General James Leape.
“His ground-breaking work has helped to
promote a balanced management approach,
halt illegal fishing, and reduce the number
of seabirds killed by longline fishing in
one of the world's most important marine
environments. These and other contributions
make him a worthy recipient of the Duke
of Edinburgh Conservation Medal."
Words from the winner
Dr Miller received the award from WWF International's
President Emeritus, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh,
at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
CCAMLR, under Dr Miller, has made significant
efforts to implement a management regime
that aims to control human activities, and
has especially pioneered sustainable fisheries
management in the commission's mandated
area.
"I see my award as strongly reflecting
the good work undertaken over many years
by a large number of extremely dedicated
scientists, policy makers and diplomats
as well as by the Commission for the Conservation
of Antarctic Marine Living Resources,"
said Dr Miller said in his acceptance speech.
“Our generation has an awesome responsibility
in passing on a sustainable marine heritage
to future generations. Governments, scientists,
fisheries managers and civil society all
play a role in the management of our oceans.”
Protecting the Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean marine environment supports
rich plant and animal life, including penguins,
seals, whales and albatrosses. It also supports
a significant commercial fishery, active
since the 1980s, which targets a number
of fish, squid and krill species.
The most commercially important of these
is long-line fishing for the valuable toothfish.
The krill shrimp fishery may also become
much more important as it supplies fishmeal
to aquaculture, and more species are currently
being investigated for potential commercial
exploitation.
A high level of destructive and illegal
fishing occurs in the Southern Ocean. Pollution,
invasive species and climate change also
threaten this unique environment.
WWF urges other regional fisheries management
organizations established to control high
seas fisheries to follow CCAMLR's lead and
establish science-based management regimes
for all high seas fisheries.
WWF is also calling for an ecologically
representative network of marine protected
areas covering at least 10% of the 35 million
sq km Southern Ocean by 2012. Creating a
network of marine protected areas will help
reduce the impact of other pressures in
the region such as fisheries and tourism,
helping to sustain a healthier marine environment
which is better able to adapt to rising
temperatures.
END NOTES:
• The Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal
is awarded annually by WWF for outstanding
service to the environment. At its inception
in 1970 it was known as the WWF Gold Medal,
but on Prince Philip’s retirement as WWF
International’s president in 1996, it was
renamed the Duke of Edinburgh Conservation
Medal as a tribute to him.
• Recipients of the award receive a gold
medal in a sustainably-sourced rosewood
box donated by the Chamber of Mines of South
Africa, a Rolex watch, and a certificate
signed by the Duke of Edinburgh and the
Director General of WWF International.
Moira O’Brien-Malone, Head of Media Relations
WWF International
