science, resources, and conservation in the Southern Ocean. 

 The Commission will work with the U.S. Polar Research Board 

 to try to assure effective communication and coordination 

 between the Group of Specialists on Southern Ocean Ecology 

 and relevant intergovernmental bodies such as the Commission 

 and Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic 

 Marine Living Resources and the International Whaling 

 Commission and its Scientific Committee. 



The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties recognize that 

 science-related activities as well as resource-related 

 activities could have significant adverse effects on the 

 environment. They have adopted measures providing for 

 designation of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 

 Specially Protected Areas to help insure that scientific and 

 logistic activities do not interfere with ongoing science 

 programs or damage important wildlife habitat. To date, 2 

 Specially Protected Areas and 21 Sites of Special Scientific 

 Interest have been designated. In addition, in 1983, the 

 Consultative Parties requested that SCAR provide advice on 

 the types of research and logistic activities which might 

 reasonably be expected to have significant adverse effects on 

 the Antarctic environment. They also sought advice on the 

 types of assessment procedures that would be useful for 

 insuring that possible adverse effects are identified and 

 considered before initiating activities. In response, SCAR 

 constituted an ad hoc working group to consider and prepare a 

 report responding to the request. 



The Marine Mammal Commission was consulted and provided 

 information which was included in a draft report reviewed and 

 endorsed at the XVIIIth meeting of SCAR in autumn 1984. The 

 report, entitled "Man's Impact on the Antarctic Environment," 

 was provided to and considered during the Xlllth Antarctic 

 Treaty Consultative Meeting in October 1985. The Consulta- 

 tive Parties were unable to reach consensus on whether and 

 what type of environmental impact assessment procedure is 

 necessary to insure that scientific and logistic support 

 activities do not have significant adverse effects on the 

 Antarctic environment. The subject will be considered again 

 during the XlVth Antarctic Consultative Meeting to be held in 

 Brazil in October 1987. 



The Marine Mammal Commission believes that environmental 

 impact procedures, such as those used to give effect to the 

 National Environmental Policy Act, would help to minimize 

 environmental impacts in Antarctica and that such procedures 

 should be applied as suggested in the SCAR report. The 

 Commission will work with the Department of State and other 

 involved Federal agencies to encourage adoption of 

 environmental impact assessment procedures by all Antarctic 

 Treaty Consultative Parties. 



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