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VIII. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS 



As commercial harvesting of krill and other species 

 increases, responses of the rest of the system to decreas- 

 ing food supply can be expected. With an increasing krill 

 harvest, populations of krill predators, fish, birds, 

 cephalopods, seals, and whales can be expected to decrease. 

 Reductions will be most notable in local regions where 

 krill harvesting is the most intense. 



Recovery of protected whale species to former popula- 

 tion levels may be slowed or prevented by intensive har- 

 vesting of krill. 



Harvesting represents increased human impact on a 

 relatively undisturbed ecosystem which is valuable for 

 scientific study. 



Changes will occur whether or not a conservation 

 regime is negotiated. However, the establishment of a 

 regime as set forth in the proposed federal action would 

 have as a basic objective the minimization of adverse 

 impacts of anticipated commercial harvesting on the Antarc- 

 tic marine ecosystem. 



