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IX. CONCLUSION 



A strong conservation regime coupled with sound scientific 

 research programs is imperative for the Antarctic marine 

 ecosystem. The need for harvest regulations is clearly 

 evident. These must be in force in time to guide the 

 development of a fishery which ensures optimal management 

 policies based upon scientific information and principles of 

 conservation . 



A. Different Approaches to Management of Living Resources 



Traditionally, renewable resource management has been 

 conducted with reference to effects on harvested species 

 alone. Broader conservation principles and enlightened 

 management practices, however, require an ecosystem approach 

 which takes into account the other biotic components as well 

 as their physical environment. 



Single species and ecosystem approaches each have sets 

 of contrasting assumptions. The single species strategy 

 assumes that examination of only those features directly 

 associated with the target species will provide adequate 

 information on that stock's reaction to hiaman manipulation. 

 The ecosystem approach, on the other hand, not only looks at 

 parameters directly effecting the target species, but also 

 those important in maintaining ecological relationships. 

 Furthermore, the biotic and physical environments in which a 

 target species exists are ultimately critical to the population 

 dynamics and ecology of the target species itself. Species 

 cannot exist within systems without affecting each other. 

 Therefore, manipulation of major system constituents will, 

 to a greater or lesser extent, affect other component 

 populations of the ecosystem. 



B. The Need for an Ecosystem Approach in Managing Antarctic 

 Krill 



Preceding sections outlined the major faunal groups in 

 the Southern Ocean that are directly or indirectly related 

 to each other through their dependence on krill. In order 

 to ensure a comprehensive management plan for the Southern 

 Ocean, regulations must be formulated within an ecosystem 

 context. Both krill and their consumers have functional 

 roles in the ecosystem as a whole. Primary productivity, 

 energy flow, and nutrient cycling within the ecosystem were 

 acknowledged earlier as dynamic features of the system. 

 Attempting to manage or manipulate solely one component of 

 this system ignores the fact that all parts of an ecosystem 

 will inevitably respond to changes in any component part, 

 depending on the degree of manipulation. 



