Today the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands are delighted to announce the release of a new stamp set to celebrate the recovering ecosystem of the Territory and in particular whales.
The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands has been working with the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Falkland Islands Communications Regulator to be able to re-issue amateur radio licences for the Territory.
Following a horizon scanning exercise which identified marine invasive species as a key threat, the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) is excited to embark on a marine biosecurity project with the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI).
GSGSSI announces its intention today to designate Terrestrial Protected Areas that will cover the entire landmass of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands. This announcement is an important step to support the aspirational vision of ‘environmental recovery and resilience through world-leading evidence-based sustainable management’ as detailed in Protect Sustain Inspire, the new stewardship framework for the Islands published in January 2021.
In December 2018, following the first 5 year independent review of our Marine Protected Area, a series of enhancements to the MPA were brought into legislation in mid-2019. We additionally committed to prohibiting the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil through our Maritime Zone by 31 December 2020.
Rebecca Honeybone accompanied the RAF on this flight as the representative for GSGSSI and was staggered by its beauty and size and that it seemed to appear out of the clouds from nowhere. There will be more information about the iceberg in the coming weeks as the British Antarctic Survey consider the potential impacts on wildlife and the ocean around South Georgia. There will also be the chance to see more of the incredible footage and images gathered during the flight.
GSGSSI would like to congratulate Tristan da Cunha on the establishment of their new Marine Protection Zone. With the establishment of this protected area, Tristan da Cunha joins South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands and other UK Overseas Territories, including Ascension, St Helena, Pitcairn and the British Indian Ocean Territory, in making a lasting commitment to protect the waters surrounding these incredible islands.
Today the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands releases a new stamp set to honour the duty and sacrifice shown by Shackleton’s men during the First World War.