H-vi 



FOREWORD 



The foundation of our knowledge of the biology of the oceans surrounding the Antarctic 

 continent was laid in the 1930's by the Discovery expeditions and other oceanographic 

 investigations related to the whaling industry. During the 1960's much of the marine biological 

 work was confined to waters relatively close to land, although some open sea investigations 

 were made, notably by the USA, USSR and Japan. SCAR has promoted with SCOR two 

 international symposia, one in 1966 and one in 1970, on Antarctic oceanography, both of 

 which included papers and discussion on biology and physics. 



In the early 1970's the potential for exploiting the living resources of the region other than 

 the whales and seals was beginning to attract interest. While it was realized that some years of 

 experimental fishery and technological development would be necessary before exploitation on 

 a large scale would become an attractive proposition, SCAR foresaw the need to expand 

 substantially scientific understanding of the oceans and in particular the relationship between 

 potentially exploitable species and other elements of the marine ecosystem. 



The BIOMASS document presents a proposal for the long term intensification of scientific 

 research, the results from which will provide the scientific foundation on which to base advice 

 on rational control of the stocks in order to prevent over-exploitation and to ensure maximum 

 annual yields. I therefore recommend the implementation of the proposed programme of 

 research to all concerned, before any large scale exploitation interests develop. 



As President of SCAR, I am pleased to record the collaboration in this endeavour of the 

 Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research and the International Association of Biological 

 Oceanography of lUBS, and the co-operation of the Advisory Committee on Marine Resources 

 Research of FAO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and the 

 consultative parties to the Antarctic Treaty. 



Financial support has been provided by the International Council of Scientific Unions, and 

 I also wish to acknowledge the generous contributions of the US National Academy of Sciences 

 and the US National Science Foundation, who provided the excellent facilities at Woods Hole 

 for the conference of experts and substantial support for the production of the BIOMASS 

 proposal. 



Finally I should like to record my personal appreciation and the gratitude of the 

 international Antarctic scientific community to Dr Sayed Z. El-Sayed, the Convenor of the 

 SCAR/SCOR Group of Specialists, for the great effort that he has devoted to arranging the 

 meetings and organizing the production of the text of this report. My thanks go also, of course, 

 to the members of his group for their contributions. 



T. Gjelsvik 

 President of SCAR 



