-7- 



for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals. However, the 

 Antarctic Convergence falls north of 60°S latitude for 

 most of its extent. There are areas of intense krill con- 

 centrations north of 60°S latitude in the Weddell and 

 Scotia Seas. There are also concentrations of some fish 

 species, elephant and fur seals, and probably some squid 

 species between 60°S latitude and the Convergence. Effec- 

 tive conservation of species not restricted to the pack 

 ice zone must include waters north of 60°S latitude. 



A second alternative geographic area for a conser- 

 vation regime is choice of a more northern latitude line, 

 such as 50°S latitude, for the northern boundary. That 

 region would include almost all of the waters south of 

 the Convergence. However, it would include subantarctic 

 regions as well and greatly increase the difficulties of 

 negotiating a regime. 



Although the exact position of the Antarctic Conver- 

 gence does vary, it can be located with simple physical 

 oceanographic measurements. It also has biological mean- 

 ing as a boundary. Of the species which would be included 

 in the proposed management regime only some migratory fish 

 ( M. australis and possible some Nototheniids) , fur seals, 

 and probably some squid have distributions which cross the 

 Convergence. For most populations covered by the proposed 

 regime, finding the species would indicate a position south 

 of the Convergence, so that the need to pinpoint its 

 location would be eliminated. Thus the use of the Antarctic 

 Convergence as a boundary for the proposed conservation 

 regime is feasible even though the boundary moves. 



Within the area to be covered by the regime, it may be 

 possible to manage populations in geographic sectors such 

 as the six whaling regions used by the International 

 Wahling Commission (Chapman, 1974). However, this will not 

 be possible until more information is available on 

 distribution and breeding stocks of the various resource 

 populations. A management approach covering the entire 

 southern ocean, that is all waters south of the Antarctic 

 Convergence, as one region is the best starting point. 



The proposed conservation regime includes the estab- 

 lishment of a body with the authority to determine conser- 

 vation needs and to regulate harvesting accordingly. Some 

 management techniques which could be used to regulate 

 harvesting include limiting the catch of each species by 

 total catch, by age or size class taken, by geographic area 

 and by season. Allowable gear, total effort or total time 

 spent in harvesting might also be regulated. A concomitant 

 harvest of several species might be contemplated to main- 

 tain balance between populations. Introduction of a har- 

 vestable fish such as salmon into the Antarctic ecosystem 



