H-5 



INTRODUCTION 



(a) the preparation of the new detailed assessment requested on the basis of existing 

 knowledge, and the formulation of a long term research programme to fill any 

 serious gaps in knowledge; 



(b) the execution of this long term research programme. 



It is clear that a considerable amount of research will be needed to assess the likely effects 

 of exploration and exploitation of oil resources on Antarctic ecosvstems. While some guidance 

 may be obtained from recent Arctic experience, there will be no substitute for research on 

 Antarctic ecosystems and their component species. There is also a great need for studies in areas 

 of likely activity and for basic information on the biology of key species hkely to be affected 

 by oil pollutants. Areas of special sensitivity and/or scientific importance need to be identified 

 and carefully planned monitoring programmes will need to be developed. 



From the viewpoint of the Antarctic marine ecosystem, it is clear that the BIOMASS 

 programme wall provide much of the baseUne and other data required. There will need to be 

 close co-ordination between other SCAR initiatives concerning the possible effects of mineral 

 exploration and/or exploitation in the Antarctic Ocean. 



SELECTED REFERENCES 



ElSayed, S. Z. 1975. Biology of the Southern Ocean. Oceanus, Vol 18, p 40-49. 



SCAR Bu LLETIN. 1976. Report of a meeting of the SCAR Group of Specialists on Living Resources of 

 the Southern Ocean. SCAR Bulletin, No 52, p 115-119. 



1 .2 General objectives 



The need for a comprehensive international and interdisciplinary research programme in 

 the Southern Ocean stems from the fact that the circular current system of the Southern Ocean 

 houses a food web which is very different from those of other parts of the world ocean. 

 Individual weights of its key members are larger by several orders of magnitude than 

 comparable ones in other oceans, which provides the incentive for a unique mass exploitation 

 of the Southern Ocean's key herbivore -krill. 



The principal objective of the BIOMASS programme is to gain a deeper understanding of 

 the structure and dynamic functioning of the Antarctic marine ecosystem as a basis for the 

 future management of potential living resources. Thus, we are primarily concerned with 

 (a) contributions to man's understanding of the world ocean, and (b) developing a sound 

 ecological strategy for the exploitation of the living resources and for the conservation of the 

 Southern Ocean's ecosystem. To achieve these goals of basic marine science and wise ecosystem 

 management we need to consider several objectives. The list given below emphasizes krill as the 

 major potential food resource of the Antarctic waters and as a key element of the marine food 

 web. At the same time, it is recognized that there are other important marine studies in the 

 Antarctic which warrant the attention of the scientific community. BIOMASS will evolve as it 

 proceeds and will hopefully attract new scientists with new ideas in the course of its 

 development into a comprehensive study of the Antarctic ecosystem, its exploitation and 

 conservation. 



1. Study of the physical/chemical environment influencing krill and its food base, 

 namely: 



(a) study of vertical advective and diffusive processes, as driving forces of primary 

 production 



