Mercy J. Borbor-Cordova, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80303, Tania A. Brito, Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Minister of Environment, Brasilia, Esplanada dos Minìstérios, Bloco B, Sala 713, 70680-900, Brasilia,, Brazil, Rosalinda Montone, Instituto Oceanográfico, University of Sao Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico,, 191- 05508-Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Patricia Gagliuffi, Medio Ambiente, Instituto Antartico Peruano, Jr. Miroquezada 191 - 5to piso, Cercado de Lima, Lima, Peru, and Monica Riofrio, Insituto Antartico Ecuatoriano, Blvd. 9 de Octubre 416, 4to piso, Of.402, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Admiralty Bay, the largest bay of King George Island in the South Shetland Archipelago, Antarctica, was formally adopted as an Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA No. 1) by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXIX (2006). Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Poland, and the U.S.A. have active research programs in this Area. In summer 2007, the ASMA Management Group, with representatives from the five countries, met in Admiralty Bay to: initiate coordinated activities, undertake an on-site review, discuss the actions related to the Management Plan and further develop a 10-year joint monitoring program. Thirty years of continuous research carried out in the Area has revealed significant ecological changes. Increasing human local activities have also contributed to environmental changes. Coordination of activities will help to minimize potential impacts. This paper summarizes the main activities related to the implementation of a management plan for Admiralty Bay and the steps towards a joint environmental monitoring program.
