since the 1987/1988 fishing season began in August-September, 

 the Commission imposed several conservation measures. It 

 established a 1987/1988 Total Allowable Catch of 35,000 metric 

 tons for C. gunnari in the South Georgia area, retroactive to 

 1 July 1987; it required that catches of C. gunnari be reported 

 to the Secretariat at ten-day intervals beginning no later 

 than 1 December 1987; and it prohibited fishing for other 

 species in the South Georgia area, except for scientific pur- 

 poses, after the Total Allowable Catch of 35,000 metric tons 

 of C. gunnari is reached. The Commission also closed the C. 

 gunnari fishery in the South Georgia area from 1 April to 1 

 October 1988 and requested that the Scientific Committee provide 

 advice for C. gunnari and other species on: (i) the appropriate 

 mesh size to protect young fish;, (ii) closed areas and/or 

 seasons to protect young fish and reduce by-catch; (iii) esti- 

 mates of total allowable catch that would achieve an appropri- 

 ately low value of fishing mortality; and (iv) an evaluation 

 of the total finfish replacement yield on an area basis. 



Krill Research and Monitoring : The total catch of krill 

 in the Convention Area in 1986/1987 was 376,527 metric tons, 

 down substantially from the 1985/1986 catch of 445,673 metric 

 tons. It is unlikely that this level of catch has had any 

 adverse effects on either krill stocks or krill predators, 

 except possibly in local areas. However, the need to assess 

 and monitor krill stocks and to determine how best to predict 

 and detect the effects of fishing has been recognized by both 

 the Living Resources Commission and the Scientific Committee. 

 The Committee, with Commission concurrence, has initiated or 

 recommended a range of theoretical studies, field experiments, 

 and monitoring programs to determine how best to assess and 

 monitor krill stocks and to detect the possible effects of 

 fishing on both krill stocks and krill predators. 4 At its 

 1987 meeting, the Scientific Committee established an ad hoc 

 working group to review and evaluate past and planned krill 

 research and to advise it on the potential application of 

 such research to stock assessment and ecosystem monitoring. 



Observation and Inspection : Article XXIV of the Living 

 Resources Convention provides for establishment of a system 

 of observation and inspection to insure compliance with pro- 

 visions of the Convention. During the 1987 meeting of the 

 Commission, it was agreed that: each member of the Commission 

 may designate inspectors and observers who shall be entitled 



4 Actions taken by the Commission and the Scientific 

 Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living 

 Resources are described in their annual meeting reports. 

 These and related reports can be obtained from: The Executive 

 Secretary, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 

 Living Resources, 25 Old Wharf, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia. 



88 



