Conservationists are pushing for a protected marine area in East Antarctica, just as a penguin colony has faced a devastating breeding season.

Just two Adelie penguin chicks have survived in a colony with more than 18,000 pairs.

They rest are believed to have starved to death due to the extra journey for food, after an unusually extensive sea ice late in the summer.

WWF's Antarctic programme manager Chris Johnson said the same colony failed to produce a single chick in another terrible breeding season four years ago.

"This colony's had it tough," he said. "What we're trying to do is implement marine protected around Antarctica to help biodiversity recover from this type of event."

Johnson states they're trying to have waters off East Antarctica protected from fishing fleets, which are also making it harder for penguins to find krill.

"It will limit human impacts, allowing this population to recover so we're not adding that additional pressure on them."

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources will meet today to discuss the proposal for a new marine protected area.