Any area, including any marine area, may be designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area to protect outstanding environmental, scientific, historic, aesthetic or wilderness values, any combination of those values, or ongoing or planned scientific research. Within a systematic environmental-geographical framework, Antarctic Specially Protected Area has to meet following requirements:

1. areas kept inviolate from human interference so that future comparisons may be possible with localities that have been affected by human activities;
2. representative examples of major terrestrial, including glacial and aquatic, ecosystems and marine ecosystems;
3. areas with important or unusual assemblages of species, including major colonies of breeding native birds or mammals;
4. the type locality or only known habitat of any species;
5. areas of particular interest to on-going or planned scientific research;
6. examples of outstanding geological, glaciological or geomorphological features;
7. areas of outstanding aesthetic and wilderness value;
8. sites or monuments of recognized historic value

Entry into an Antarctic Specially Protected Area shall be prohibited except in accordance with a permit issued under Article 7.