Who's Who - Polar Acronyms

Founded in 1978, ASOC is the only non-governmental organization working full time to preserve the Antarctic continent and its surrounding Southern Ocean. A coalition of over 30 NGOs interested in Antarctic environmental protection, ASOC represents the environmental community at Antarctic governance meetings and works to promote important Antarctic conservation goals. Though Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are far away, we believe that the continent and its surrounding ocean are the natural heritage of all humankind and seek to ensure that Antarctic ecosystems - both terrestrial and marine - remain protected and intact. Our two major campaigns are creation of a network of large Marine Protected Areas (carried out in cooperation with the Antarctic Ocean Alliance), and negotiation of a legally binding Polar Code that covers all vessels operating in the Southern Ocean.