24. Macquarie Ridge
Map ID Number: 24
Location: South of the South Island
Approximate area: 73,550km2
Description of area:
The Macquarie Ridge is a tectonically generated volcanic ridge. It acts as a barrier to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current because of its north-south trend.
Biological attributes:
The ridge is a transition zone between neozelanic and Antarctic biotic elements. It is variably and locally rich in echinoderms and bryozoans.
Criteria applied:
Representation (across physical types); extremeties of range; biologically unknown.
Status and management:
The northern section of the Macquarie Ridge lies within New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone, while the southern section is part of Australia’s marine jurisdiction. The Australian Government established the Macquarie Island Marine Park in 1999, which comprises 162,000km2 of Commonwealth waters to the southeast of Macquarie Island. The state waters immediately surrounding the island are a marine reserve.
The marine park is part of the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas, which aims to maintain ecological processes and protect Australia’s marine biodiversity. The island and surrounding waters out to 12 nautical miles were listed as a World Heritage Area in December 1997. Furthermore, the Macquarie Island Nature Reserve, which includes the marine and terrestrial environments, is one of 12 UNESCO “biosphere reserves” in Australia, and the only one in the Southern Ocean (Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage 2004).
Bottom midwater trawling to target Patagonian toothfi sh occurs along the western edge of the ridge west of Macquarie Island and Judge and Clerk Islands. Fishery operations are subject to environmental standards (Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage 2004).
State of information:
The Macquarie Ridge is not yet adequately
References and further reading:
Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage (2004), Butler et al. (2000), Dawson (1970, 1988), Cairns (1991), McKnight (unpublished).