Antarctic Permits
Please see guidance on this page.
All Projects in South Georgia
The Wildlife and Protected Areas (WPA) Ordinance was enacted in 2011 and provides a legal basis for the strict environmental policies of the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI). Under the Ordinance it is an offence to wilfully or carelessly introduce non-native species, to handle or harm any flora or fauna or conduct activities that are likely to result in damage to habitats.
Any organisation or individual wishing to conduct scientific or other projects in SGSSI requires a Regulated Activity Permit (RAP) from the GSGSSI.
All those visiting South Georgia must also familiarise themselves with the South Georgia Code of Conduct.
How to apply for a Regulated Activity Permit (RAP)
BAS staff or those supported by BAS logistics are required to follow this two-step process:
- Complete and submit a BAS Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the BAS Environment Office (environment@bas.ac.uk) by 31st May each year. The BAS EIA is an internal requirement to gain BAS environmental approval for your project and it ensures that any BAS environmental requirements are met and appropriate mitigation measures agreed. Once you have received your approved BAS EIA you need to follow step 2 below.
- Apply to GSGSSI for a Regulated Activity Permit (RAP) directly through the government website online application. The online RAP requires you to submit an approved copy of your BAS EIA (step 1). Please note, there are three categories of RAP that vary according to the complexity of the project. There is no fixed GSGSSI RAP deadline but submit at least 3 months before the start of your project. Please note that submissions should be made once the 2023 RAP forms are published. Refer to GSGSSI guidance for RAP applications.
RAP Renewals for long-term projects
If your project forms part of a long-term study, providing you have already been issued with a RAP and all permit conditions have been met, then you may renew your RAP for up to 3 years (i.e. to a maximum duration of 4 years), by completing an Online RAP Renewal Form directly with GSGSSI. There is no requirement to complete step 1 as above in this case but please contact BAS Environment Office to discuss any changes to your project in advance.
Post season review of projects in South Georgia
The GSGSSI is responsible for reviewing all permitted activities that occurred in SGSSI and that were issued with RAP permits. GSGSSI will contact all BAS project leads and ask them to complete a retrospective review of their activities through an online RAP feedback form. If the project involved exporting samples then the project lead will also need to submit their exported material declaration form via the online feedback form.