Antarctic science and the role that scientific consider- 
ations should play in establishing Antarctic policy, 
both domestically and internationally. 
The Department of State provided funding for the 
study, and the Polar Research Board established a 
Committee on Antarctic Policy and Science to conduct 
the study. The first meeting of this Committee was 
held on 14-15 December 1992. At this meeting, 
representatives of Federal agencies, including the 
Marine Mammal Commission, and non-governmental 
groups reviewed with the Committee their interests 
and concerns regarding Antarctica. 
The Committee plans to hold a workshop in 
February 1993 to further identify the range of issues 
having a bearing upon support and conduct of various 
types of science programs and related logistic support 
activities in Antarctica. It is hoped that the Commit- 
tee’s report will be available in time to be considered 
during development of U.S. implementing legislation 
for the Protocol on Environmental Protection. 
Activities Related to Marine Living Resources 
As noted in previous Commission annual reports, 
several countries began experimental fisheries for krill 
and finfish in the Southern Ocean in the 1960s. 
Concerns that the developing fisheries, particularly the 
krill fishery, could adversely affect seals, whales, and 
other non-target species, as well as target species, led 
the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to negotiate 
and adopt the Convention on the Conservation of 
Antarctic Marine Living Resources. 
The Convention was concluded in May 1980 and 
entered into force in April 1982. It established the 
Commission and the Scientific Committee for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. 
The first meetings of these bodies were held in 1982, 
and they have been held annually since then. The 
Marine Mammal Commission’s involvement in 
negotiation of the Convention and the first ten meet- 
ings of the Commission and Scientific Committee are 
described in previous annual reports. 
The 1992 meetings of the Commission and Scien- 
tific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic 
Marine Living Resources were held in Hobart, Tas- 
139 
Chapter V — International 
mania, Australia, from 26 October-6 November 1992. 
During the meetings, a broad range of issues were 
considered, including finfish, krill, and crab fisheries, 
development of a scientific observer program, assess- 
ment and avoidance of incidental mortality, and 
ecosystem monitoring. 
In the late 1960s and early 1970s finfish catches in 
the Convention Area exceeded 200,000 metric tons 
annually. These catch levels could not be sustained, 
and many finfish stocks were already severely deplet- 
ed when the Convention entered into force. 
Finfish Fisheries — The total finfish catch in the 
1991-1992 season was 58,218 metric tons, down 
from 98,610 metric tons taken in 1990-1991. Most of 
the catch (50,678 metric tons) was taken in sub-area 
48.3 (the area around South Georgia Island) by Bul- 
garian, Chilean, Russian, and Ukrainian vessels. The 
majority of the catch (46,960 metric tons) was lantern 
fish (Electrona carlsbergi), a small myctophid that is 
an important component in the diets of several species 
of seabirds and other higher trophic level species. 
At the 1992 meeting, the Commission for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 
acting on the advice of its Scientific Committee, 
adopted conservation measures to (1) continue the 
prohibition on directed fishing for five species in sub- 
area 48.3 for both the 1992-1993 and the 1993-1994 
fishing seasons; (2) prohibit taking of finfish, for 
other than scientific purposes, in sub-areas 48.1 (the 
Antarctic Peninsula) and 48.2 (the South Orkney Is- 
lands) during the 1992-1993 fishing season; (3) set 
catch limits of 9,200 metric tons for mackerel ice fish 
(Champsocephalus gunnari) and 3,350 metric tons for 
toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in sub-area 48.3; 
(4) set bycatch limits for several species in statistical 
area 48.3; and (5) continue the 245,000 metric ton 
total allowable catch of lantern fish in sub-area 48.3. 
The Commission also adopted a conservation measure 
specifying that catches taken during fishing for 
research purposes by commercial fishing vessels, or 
vessels with similar catching capacity, shall be count- 
ed as part of the total allowable catch. 
Krill Fishing — The total krill catch in 1991-1992 
was 288,546 metric tons, down approximately 20 
percent from the 357,538 metric tons taken during the 
