Desarrollo de la Antártica

Tore Gjelsvik / THE WORK OF SCAR FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE ••• did much of the basic work. At the consultative meeting in 1964, the problems that could arise from possible future pelagic sealing and the taking of fauna in the pack ice were discussed. It was recom– mended that each nation engaged in such activity should estabIish voluntary regulations to ensure the survival of the species and to avoid serious disturbances of the ecosystem. SCAR, welcoming tJhis recommendation, !pointed to t!he need fo'- basic scientific investigations and hoped that the pardes to the Treaty would devise a mechanism for the control of exploitation. In 1966, tlhe Treaty pardes agreed to voluntary guidelines for regulation of pelagic sealing in the Antarctic, and SCAR responded to invitations of the governments for scientific advice by setting up a Subcommittee of Specialists on Seals, who undertook a thorough investigation of all aspects; such as population size of various species, regional distribution, inmediate conservation needs, and interim guidelines. The Subcommittee also provided analyses of statistics on l>e¡¡.ls and birds killed and captured in the Treaty area. It was obvious that conservation arrangements involving only tJhe twelve Treaty p:lrtÍes wouId not be sufficient to protect the species, and in 19712 a SeaI Convention for the Antarctic Treaty area was signed. SCAR was invited to undertake a number of functions under the convention. SCAR, with some hesitation for reasons of principIe and finance, accepted the taslks, and, for this purpose raised the status of the Subcommittee of Specialists on seals to a Group of Specialists. Dntil today, onIy five nations have ratio fied the SeaI Convention, and two more are needed before it will come into effect. Besides the major undertaking in the fieId of conservation mentioned aboye, SCAR has tadkle1 a number of re1ated matters. iDiscussions of manOs impact on the Antarctic environments have resulted, Ínter alía, in agreed rules of conduct at Antarctic scientific stations and fieId expeditions. Acode for the use of radio isotopes in research ha& been drawn up. sCAR has strongIy opposed tJhe proposal to dispose of nuclear waste in tihe Antarctic ice sheet. The advice of various working groups of SCA,R; has proved very usefuI in the search of answers to these and other questions Which have arisen from the Íncreased human activity in the Antarctic. The increa&ing interest for Antarctic resources tbas called for timely measures to protect the Antarctic environment and ecosystems. The parties to the Treaty initiated disLUssions in 19'72 on questions relating to mineral resources. SCAR scientists took ¡part in discussions on the topic at an informal expert meeting in Oslo in 1973, organized