The conservation group WWF hopes to use the new International Polar Year to increase awareness of threats facing Antarctica.

The last polar year was in the 1950s, when the historic Antarctic Treaty was signed.

WWF Southern Ocean spokeswoman Constance Johnson hopes even more can be achieved in the next two years.

She says the WWF is calling on the treaty parties to provide protection for Antarctic waters by 2012.

"We're looking at a whole-of-ecosystem approach, we're not targeting any particular species," she said.

"There are a range of threats that are facing Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, from climate change, invasive species, pirate fishing, marine by-catch and marine pollution from shipping, and they penetrate the whole ecosystem chain."