Countries OK world's largest marine reserve in AntarcticaWELLINGTON -- The countries that decide the fate of Antarctica reached an historic agreement on Friday to create the world's largest marine protected area in the ocean next to the frozen continent. Proponents of the reserve say it sets a precedent for multiple countries working together to protect a large swath of ocean, which falls outside any single nation's jurisdiction. The U.S. and New Zealand have been pushing for a marine reserve for years. The marine protected area covers 1.6 million square kilometers (0.62 million square miles). Several countries fish in the waters surrounding Antarctica for lucrative toothfish, which are often marketed in North America as Chilean sea bass.

Source: The China Post October 28, 2016 08:46 UTC