H-59 



PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME 



Oceanographic data can presumably be handled by existing national and world data 

 centres; the commitment to supply data to these centres is generally accepted by 

 oceanographers. Catalogues of biological data could also (in principle) be handled in the same 

 way, though the volume of work may require additional funding. The existing ROSCOP and 

 ROMBI forms may need adjustment for the particular interests of the Southern Ocean studies 

 and all biological investigators will have to agree to complete these or some other type of 

 report. This should present no problem with respect to observations made in the course of 

 purely scientific studies, but may be more difficult in commercial or pilot scale operations. 



2. Sorting of biological data. 



Since study of the biological environment of the Southern Ocean will often require 

 processing and identification of specimens by persons not involved in the actual collection, it is 

 important that each sample be uniquely identified at the time of collection and throughout 

 later examination and identification. 



Standardized data recording and processing techniques were adopted on USNS Eltanin, 

 which operated under the United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP) during its later 

 cruises. Data recording forms (of which there were different kinds for pelagic and benthic 

 sampling) were provided to all participants. Each form, in triplicate, was uniquely numbered; 

 this number was henceforth the identification of the samples and the reference to all relevant 

 data. In addition to recording basic data, forms for the study of living resources were also 

 designed to record observations on abundance, size of organism, etc. These procedures 

 accomplished at least two important objectives. 



(a) There was no longer any confusion caused by different investigators assigning the same 

 series of numbers to entirely different samples. 



(b) Availability of forms, with estabUshed data fields, encouraged participants to record 

 more observations in a consistent manner-a particularly relevant objective for large 

 programmes in which the collecting operations wiU involve personnel who are less 

 experienced than the programme directors. 



Experience has shown that the sampling data should be summarized and reviewed for 

 errors prior to the end of the cruise or soon thereafter. Recording of data on multi-copy forms 

 facilitates this procedure of data quality control. 



The Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center (SOSC) has developed a computerized 

 biological station data programme for data exchange and analysis. Data may be entered into a 

 generalized master file that can be augmented as new information (such as identifications or 

 bibliographic references) becomes available. With such a file, data and standard or special 

 reports are readily available to the investigators. In addition, the file facilitates the publication 

 and distribution of technical data in a timely and reliable manner. Participating countries can 

 acquire the computer system and process data directly or send information to a centralized 

 location for processing and distribution to all participating countries and individual scientists. 



3. Statistical and related data. 



As noted above, this work of data collection would be quite extensive once any significant 

 harvesting (other than whales) began. Regional fishery commissions usually need several people 

 (including clerical staff) to handle their statistical work. Technically, several institutions, 

 including FAO, could carry out the work but would need additional funding. (FAO already 

 handles these data on a global scale but without detailed breakdown except in those regions for 

 which FAO has special responsibility. The lack of detail causes difficulty in interpretation; for 

 example, the region of harvest is given in no more detail than, say, the south-west Atlantic, 

 which covers an area from South Georgia to northern Brazil.) 



A more serious problem might be that of ensuring fully detailed collection and reporting of 



