Convention, which entered into force in 1977, provides for the 

 regulation of commercial sealing, should it resume in the 

 Antarctic. In 1982, the International Whaling Commission agreed 

 to a moratorium on commercial whaling, which took effect in 1986. 

 Although Japan continues to conduct "research" whaling in the 

 Southern Ocean (see the preceding section of this Chapter) , 

 neither commercial sealing nor commercial whaling presently poses 

 threats to the continued existence of Southern Ocean populations 

 of seals and whales. However, both commercial sealing and 

 commercial whaling could be resumed in the future. In addition, 

 developing fisheries, particularly the fishery for Antarctic 

 krill ( Euphausia superba ) , and continuing interest in possible 

 mineral exploration and development pose threats to seals, 

 whales, and other components of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. 



Antarctic krill is a keystone of the Southern Ocean food 

 web. It is one of the dominant herbivores and the principal 

 component in the diets of numerous species including fin, blue, 

 humpback, and minke whales; crabeater seals and Antarctic fur 

 seals; Adelie, chinstrap, macaroni, and rockhopper penguins; 

 several other species of birds; and several species of fish and 

 squid. Some of these species are eaten in turn by sperm whales, 

 killer whales, leopard seals, and other higher-order predators. 



Because of the possible direct and indirect effects of 

 fisheries, mineral development, and related activities on marine 

 mammals, the Marine Mammal Commission has, since 1974, undertaken 

 a continuing review of matters that might affect marine mammals, 

 krill, or other components of the Southern Ocean ecosystem upon 

 which marine mammals may depend. It has made recommendations to 

 the National Science Foundation, the Department of State, and the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, on the need for basic and 

 directed research and monitoring programs and for international 

 agreements to effectively regulate sealing, whaling, fisheries, 

 exploration and development of non-living resources, and related 

 activities in the Southern Ocean. In addition, since 1978, 

 Marine Mammal Commission representatives have served as 

 scientific advisors on most U.S. delegations to regular Antarctic 

 Treaty Consultative Meetings, Special Consultative Meetings held 

 to negotiate the marine living resources and minerals regimes, 

 and the annual meetings of the Commission and the Scientific 

 Committee established under the Convention on the Conservation of 

 Antarctic Marine Living Resources. 



Background information and a description of activities 

 undertaken in 1989 are provided below. 



The XVth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 



The XVth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in 

 Paris on 9-21 October 1989. Delegations from the twenty-five 



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