H-57 



PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME 



their particular studies. This will require some central organization (or organizations) which will 

 have two rather distinct functions: (a) awareness, or cataloguing, and (b) information 

 compilation and processing. The nature of the data handling problem also depends on the kind 

 of data. For example, information on surface temperature or on the weight of a given species of 

 fish caught in a commercial fishery, which can easily be expressed as single figures in standard 

 and comparable units, presents different problems from complex biological information. Data 

 from research vessels engaged in scientific work are always easier to obtain than data from 

 commercial or semi-commercial operations. The mechanisms required are also likely to vary 

 because different national agencies may be involved. 



The following sections discuss, first, the actual technical work needed with respect to data 

 of different types and from different sources, and secondly, the facilities required to do this 

 work, and the commitments that must be undertaken by countries participating in research or 

 harvesting activities in the Southern Ocean. 



3.4.2 Nature of activities 



1 . Oceanographic data. 



These include all types of observations on the physical and chemical characteristics of the 

 water masses, which are important for understanding the environment of the living resources; a 

 study oF the impact of the physical environment on the abundance and distribution of these 

 resources is especially important. Oceanographers, through national and world data centres, 

 have well established arrangements for the exchange and central compilation of such data. 

 Probably no new action needs to be taken other than to ensure that existing arrangements fully 

 cover data from the Southern Ocean, with any minor modifications that seem desirable. 

 Reporting, from whatever source, would probably be mainly the concern of IOC's co-operative 

 programme in the Southern Ocean. 



2. Catalogues of biological data. 



Biological information includes a wide variety of types, from data on sizes of animals in 

 commercial catches (which would probably be best handled in the same way as general 

 statistical data) to samples of plankton, which may need special co-operative arrangements for 

 sorting and taxonomic identification. Between these extremes lie most biological observations 

 (egy gross catches of major elements in plankton nets, observations on occurrence of 

 echo-traces). Many of these observations are not suited for routine automatic processing 

 because interpretation of the results {eg, the volume of the plankton net catch or the intensity 

 of echoes) depends on quahtative information about the precise type of equipment, the way it 

 was used and the type of organisms concerned. The major need with respect to these data is a 

 register or catalogue, so that the interested scientist can readily discover what observations have 

 been made and which organization or individual scientist should be approached for further 

 information. 



3. Sorting of biological samples. 



Many biological samples, particularly plankton and benthos samples, but to a certain 

 extent catches of larger crustaceans, molluscs and fish, contain a variety of taxonomic groups 

 whose detailed identification requires specialized knowledge. A large part of the information 

 concerning the sample (eg, total weight of plankton in the haul or the number of copepods) 

 may be obtained at the time of observation, or soon afterwards. However, the scientist or 

 institution making the collection may not have the detailed knowledge of some or all of the 

 taxonomic groups to enable them to complete the sorting and identification. This is best carried 

 out in specialized centres to which samples can be sent when the gross analysis has been 

 completed and more detailed information is required. Bearing in mind the lack of adequate 

 knowledge of most of the living resources in the region, such procedure will involve a fairly 



