Polar agency looks for spin-offs

More than 40 countries have acceded to the Antarctic Treaty

By Kim Griggs in Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealand's polar agency is discussing how it could take a cut of the profits that might be made out of the commercial exploitation of the White Continent.

An internal discussion paper at Antarctica New Zealand examines what policy the agency should have on issues such as the transformation of research on Antarctic lifeforms into saleable products.

Our ability to manage all of our human activities in the Antarctic is made considerably more complicated as soon as there are really serious commercial interests

Dr Alan Hemmings

But the prospect of expanding commercial activity in the region is troubling, says Dr Alan Hemmings, the Antarctic and Southern Oceans Coalition lobbyist who obtained the paper under New Zealand's Official Information Act.

Dr Hemmings argues that the extension of commercial activities in Antarctica could destabilize the 50-year-old Antarctic Treaty, which reserves the southern continent for peace and science.

Developing commercially viable products would be at odds with a key Treaty article, which says that Antarctica's scientific observations and results should be exchanged and made freely available, Dr Hemmings claims.

Acknowledged tensions

"Our ability to manage all of our human activities in the Antarctic is made considerably more complicated as soon as there are really serious commercial interests," he told BBC News Online.

Gillian Wratt, the chief executive of Antarctica New Zealand, acknowledges those tensions, but says bio-prospecting could produce potentially useful compounds.

Already, the paper notes, British scientists have applied for patents for two bioactive compounds found in small freshwater lakes in Antarctica.

"Bio-prospecting is happening in relation to Antarctic biological material, and within the Antarctica New Zealand-managed research programme," the paper says.

The options for handling bio-prospecting, the Antarctica New Zealand paper says, range from doing nothing at one extreme to negotiating a moratorium. But if bio-prospecting were to go ahead, then the Antarctic New Zealand paper says the government agency would want to accrue some of the profits from commercial activity.

Health benefits

The paper suggests that Antarctica New Zealand could charge a licence fee for bio-prospecting, or seek royalties from the profits from bio-prospecting activities.

It is a very useful way to exploit the potential of Antarctica to the benefit of mankind without doing any environmental damage

Prof Johanna Laybourn-Parry

"A policy is needed," says the paper, "if we wish to ensure that any economic benefits resulting from bio-prospecting activities supported by Antarctica New Zealand are retained within New Zealand where possible."

UK Antarctic researcher Professor Johanna Laybourn-Parry said the first patents based on research from the region had been agreed some time ago - although the issues relating to intellectual property rights and Antarctica had yet to be fully resolved, she added.

The University of Nottingham scientist's own work has looked at the possible health and environmental benefits that could be gained by exploiting the bacteria that thrive on the White Continent.

Future discussions

"These organisms have enormous potential," she told BBC News Online. "For example, many of them may have anti-microbial activity, which is important because all the time bacteria are getting resistant to the drugs we currently use.

"The Antarctic research community see this as a very valuable way of giving something back to the taxpayer," she added.

"It is a very useful way to exploit the potential of Antarctica to the benefit of mankind without doing any environmental damage. All you do is take very small samples."

The New Zealand discussion on bio-prospecting is expected to be presented to the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Poland in September.

The 10-day meeting is already planning to discuss other complex legal issues such as the establishment of an Antarctic secretariat and liability for damage to the Antarctic environment.