Background The Marine Environment Protection Committee (ME PC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO ) began its study of the question of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) in response to resolution 9 of the International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention@ 1978 concerning the protection of particularly valuable sea areas. This resolution invited the then Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (the original name of IM CO was changed in 1982 to IMO ) to incorporate any necessary provisions within MAR POL for the protection of such areas against marine pollution from ships and dumping. These areas would be identified through an inventory of sea areas around the world which were in need of protection against marine pollution from ships and dumping@ on account of the areas?? particular value in respect of renewable resources or in respect of their importance for scientific purposes. As a result@ ME PC@ recognizing the importance of this issue@ consequently adopted the concept of PSSAs and identified a PSSA as an area that needs special protection through action by IMO because of its significance for recognized ecological@ socio-economic@ or scientific attributes where such attributes may be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities. In general@ to be identified as a PSSA@ three elements must be present: (1) the area must have certain attributes (ecological@ socio-economic@ or scientific); (2) it must be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities; and (3) there must be a measure* with an identified legal basis that can be adopted by IMO to prevent@ reduce@ or eliminate risks from these activities. If approved by IMO @ the end result will be an area designated as a ??Particularly Sensitive Sea Area?? and one or more IMO -adopted measures for ships to follow. It is noteworthy that such sea areas may include the territorial sea of States@ and sea areas beyond national jurisdiction. Proposals must be submitted in accordance with IMO rules and procedures for the submission of documents. Governments? may check with the IMO Secretariat for the precise submission deadline as well as other administrative rules. Another way of protecting sensitive sea areas is by establishing Marine Protected Areas. These are established for marine nature conservation reasons outside the IMO forum and@ whilst they are an effective management tool@ it is important to note that they do not protect areas from international shipping activities. Marine Protected Areas which require protection from international shipping should be brought to the attention of IMO for them to be proposed as PSSAs (or Special Areas under MAR POL )@ depending on the type of protection measure that is needed. Note that PSSAs can encompass both Special Areas and Marine Protected Areas and vice versa. It is important to note that IMO is the only international body responsible for assessing proposals for and designating areas as PSSAs and adopting measures applicable to international shipping. Discussions on the PSSA concept continued from 1986 to 1991 and culminated in the adoption of Guidelines for the Designation of Special Areas and the Identification of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas by Assembly resolution A.720(17) in 1991 (the PSSA Guidelines). The PSSA Guidelines were designed to assist in providing guidance to IMO Member Governments in the formulation and submission of applications for designation of PSSAs and in general aim to: .1 ensure that@ in the process@ all interests ?C those of the coastal State@ flag State@ and the environmental shipping communities ?C are thoroughly considered on the basis of relevant scientific@ technical@ economic and environmental information regarding the area at risk of damage from international shipping activities and the protective measures to minimize the risk; and .2 provide for the assessment of such applications by IMO . * T he reference to ??measure?? or ??associated protective measure?? is used both in the singular and plural throughout this guidance document. It is important to recognize that an identified vulnerability may be addressed by only one or by more than one measure or associated protective measure@ and that therefore the use of this terminology in the singular or plural should not be taken as any indication to the contrary. ? T he word ??Government?? is used both in the singular and plural throughout the text of this guidance document. It is clear@ however@ that the PSSA Guidelines recognize that an application for designation of a PSSA may be submitted by one or more Governments@ and therefore the use of this terminology in the singular or plural should not be taken as an indication to the contrary.