E -7 



CHAIRMAN BREWSTER: Yes, sir. 



MR. GOTTSCHALK: My name is John Gottschalk. I am rep- 

 resenting the International Association of the Fish and Wild- 

 life Agencies; and at this point I think it might be appro- 

 priate for me to insert in the record our views on this sub- 

 ject, particularly since I am going to have t':^ leave the 

 meeting a little earlier -- so if I may — 



CHAIRMAN BREWSTER: Please, Mr. Gottschalk. 



MR. GOTTSCHALK: I will proceed. Now the International 

 Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is a voluntary 

 organization of state and federal agencies in the United 

 States, Canada and Mexico. Our charter incorporates the en- 

 tire Western Hemisphere but because of preoccupation with 

 domestic affairs in the United States we haven't been able 

 to attract any members in South America. 



Nevertheless, our members are concerned and interested 

 in this whole problem. 



I would like to say, to start with, that we find our- 

 selves in basic agreement with the position of the United 

 States and the countries in the last meeting — as we under- 

 stand them. We feel that it is essential that a conservation 

 program or regime be established to guarantee the future 

 productivity of the living resources of the area encompassed 

 by the Antarctic Treaty. 



Further, we are pleased that the emphasis has been placed 

 on the acquisition of knowledge through scientific research. 

 These concepts are essential for any useful and effective 

 conservation program for a vast and vital area of the earth's 

 surface . 



It is, of course, absolutely essential that these con- 

 cepts be embodied in working programs before there is any 

 wholesale effort launched to begin the commercial exploitation 

 of the resources of the area. 



Perhaps it is unnecessary to point out in this group that 

 where there is a substantial commercial stake in resource de- 

 velopment there are usually powerful forces at work to frus- 

 trate these basic principles of conservation. Hopefully, the 

 United States can be a leader in promoting the rational utili- 

 zation of the living resources found in the Antarctic seas, 

 rather than a passive observer of their exploitation. 



