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However, a carefully controlled catch with data collected 

 and reported would provide an opportionity for a con- 

 trolled experiment on the ecosystem which could promote 

 considerable advances in scientific understanding. Such 

 data are necessary for establishing appropriate conser- 

 vation measures to meet the objectives of the proposed 

 regime. 



Although a great deal of information is available 

 on Antarctic living resources, there are still consid- 

 erable uncertainties in estimates of both standing 

 stocks and turnover rates or productivity of the various 

 resource populations. Conservation measures developed 

 \inder the proposed conservation regime should take these 

 uncertainties in information into account and minimize 

 risks to the environment through cautious development 

 of fisheries. Any harvesting should be coupled with 

 collection and analysis of basic biological information 

 as well as catch data on target and associated species. 



To be completely effective, such a regime should 

 include all nations which are engaged in harvesting in 

 Antarctic waters. 



The U.S. is not presently involved in commercial 

 harvesting in Antarctic waters, and there appears no 

 immediate prospect of a U.S. fishery there. However, 

 the U.S. is a leader in research concerning the 

 Antarctic marine environment, and has important inter- 

 ests in the conservation of Antarctic marine living 

 resources. These interests include the rational devel- 

 opment of new sources of protein in prevention of 

 international conflict over Antarctica as well as a 

 commitment to maintaining the Antarctic environment. 

 In the face of possible large scale harvesting by other 

 nations in the near future, the proposed conservation 

 regime offers the best alternative for implementing 

 these U.S. interests. 



6. Conservation Regime with Specific 

 Conservation Measures or Interim 

 Harvesting Moratorium 



The fifth alternative, and the last one to be 

 discussed, is similar to the fourth alternative favored 

 by the U.S. because it also entails negotiation of a 

 complete conservation regime. It differs from the 

 proposed action in that the agreement itself would 



