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Spatial patterns of tour ship traffic in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2009

H.J. Lynch ,
K. Crosbie ,
W.F. Fagan  and
R. Naveen
H.J. Lynch*
Affiliation:
Biology Department, 3237 Biology-Psychology Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
K. Crosbie
Affiliation:
International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, 11 S. Angell St 302, Providence, RI 02906, USA
W.F. Fagan
Affiliation:
Biology Department, 3235 Biology-Psychology Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
R. Naveen
Affiliation:
Oceanites, Inc, PO Box 15259, Chevy Chase, MD 20825, USA
*
*[email protected]
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Abstract

Commercial, shipborne tourism along the Antarctic Peninsula grew exponentially between 1989–90 and 2007–08, raising concern about the impact such activity may have on the environment of the region. Previous analyses of Antarctic tourism have focused narrowly on patterns of visitation and potential impacts at terrestrial landing sites. Here, using 19 years of passenger landing statistics and five years of reconstructed ship itineraries, we explore patterns of tourism activities in the Antarctic Peninsula region using a spatially explicit network theory analysis of ship itineraries. We find that passenger landings and marine traffic are highly concentrated at a few specific locations and that growth in tourism activity occurred disproportionally rapidly at these sites relative to growth in visitation of the Peninsula as a whole. We conclude by discussing the pros and cons of spatially concentrated tourism activity and the associated implications for ecosystem management.

Keywords

Antarcticaenvironmental managementmarine trafficseabird conservationtourism
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 123 - 130
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2009

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