B -6 



CHAIRMAN BREWSTER: Thank you, Tucker. I open the floor 

 to comments. 



MS. PAT SCHARLIN: Tucker, could we get into any discus- 

 sion at all on what the United States views as the meaning of 

 "conservation" in terms of its conservation regime? This is 

 always a question, I think, that puzzles us most. 



MR. SCULLY: Well, let me start by saying that we are de- 

 lighted to have your views on what the concept of conservation 

 means, as well. 



There is, as you know having been at the London meeting, 

 potential for a number of divergences in view as to what the 

 concept of conservation means. 



I think that at the Consultative Meeting itself there was 

 some concern expressed by representatives of countries who have 

 an interest or potential interest in the harvesting of the re- 

 sources that the term "conservation" also includes an element 

 of what is described as "rational utilization." 



In other words, there was some fear on the part of states 

 with exploitation interests, that the term "conservation" by 

 itself, could be interpreted as meaning no harvesting whatsoever 

 of any of the potential resources of the Southern Ocean. 



I am not sure how many of you have received copies of the 

 report of the Ninth Consultative Meeting. 



There was an agreement among the participants, which was 

 not included in the recommendation. Recommendation IX-2 itself 

 -- but in the report -- that the term "conservation" did imply 

 rational utilization. In other words, the term conservation 

 is not inconsistent with the concept of harvesting -- but that 

 it does mean in some fashion the application of standards and 

 criteria to any harvesting that might take place, so as to en- 

 sure that such harvesting would not result in overexploitation 

 of a single species or of harm to the dependent species, or 

 to the Antarctic ecosystem as a whole. 



But I think, again, the concept of what is meant exactly by 

 "conservation" is certainly a subject on which we would like 

 to have as much advice as possible. 



MR. GOTTSCHALK: Mr. Ambassador. 



