Areas of the marine environment that need special protection through action by the IMO because of their significance for recognized ecological, socio-economic, scientific attributes, where such attributes may be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities
The Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) concept is broadly recognized in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and specifically authorized in resolutions adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The IMO has established three basic criteria for designation as a PSSA: (1) the area must have significant ecological, social, cultural, economic, scientific, and/or educational characteristics: (2) the area must be at risk from international shipping activities; and (3) there must be measures that can be adopted by the IMO that will provide increased protection to the area.
A PSSA application, which may only be submitted by an IMO Member Government, must be accompanied by a proposal for associated protective measures.
The proposed protective measures must be within the purview of the IMO.
There are currently eleven designated PSSAs: (1) Great Barrier Reef & Torres Strait (Australia); (2) Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago (Cuba); (3) Malpelo Island (Columbia); (4) Florida Keys (United States); (5) Wadden Sea (Denmark, Germany, Netherlands); (6) Paracas National Preserve (Peru); (7) Western European Waters (Belgium, France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom); (8) Canary Islands (Spain); (9) Baltic Sea (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden); (10) Galapagos Archipelago (Peru); and (11) Papahanamokuakea Marine National Monument (United States).
The most common protective measures utilized in PSSAs are ship routing, ship reporting, and areas to be avoided.
Other protective measures include anchorage prohibitions, traffic separation schemes, and recommendations for pilotage.