John C. Boyd Renowned Geophysicist Who Directed Winter Berthing Facility, As the New John C
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antarc tic [I OFTHE IIUNITED []NEI U STATES June 1979 National Science Foundation Volume XIV—Number 2 ment in draft form in the 6 March 1979 Federal Register. They appeared in final form in the 7 June 1979 Federal Register and are printed in this issue of Antarctic Journal of the United States in their final form. They are effective 1 July 1979, in advance of the 1979-80 field season. The purpose of the regulations is to conserve and protect the mam- mals, birds, and plants of Antarctica and the ecosystem upon which they depend. To that end, unless the following activities are specifically authorized by permit, it is unlawful: • to take any mammal or bird native to Antarctica (note that "take" means "to remove, harass, molest, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, restrain, or tag" any native mammal or bird or to U.S. Navy photo by Greenwood attempt to engage in such con- A group of skuas rest on the snow near McMurdo Station. Skuas are among the bird duct) species indigenous to Antarctica, all of which are protected by the Antarctic Conser- • to collect any plant native to vation Act of 1978. Antarctica in a specially pro- tected area • to enter any specially protected area or certain sites of special Regulations to implement Antarctic scientific interest Conservation Act of 1978 now in force • to import into or export from the United States any mammal or bird native to Antarctica or The National Science Foundation, as directed by the Antarctic Conservation any plant collected in a Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541), has developed regulations that implement specially protected area the "Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora" for • to introduce into Antarctica all United States citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed in 1964 by the Ant- any nonindigenous plant or arctic Treaty Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit animal. system for various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain mammals and certain geographic areas as re- The Antarctic Conservation Act of quiring special protection. The specially protected areas and sites of 1978 mandates civil and criminal regulations establish such a permit special scientific interest. The regula- penalties for noncompliance with system and a way to designate tions were presented for public com- the regulations. All mammals and birds normally The permit system is described in Anyone who knowingly commits found in Antarctica, excluding the regulations. To obtain a permit, an act prohibited b y the Antarctic whales regulated by the Interna- each applicant must provide the Conservation Act of 1978 is liable to tional Whaling Commission, are scientific names and numbers of na- a civil penalty of up to $10,000 tor designated as native mammals or na- tive mammals or birds to be taken, each violation. If the violation was tive birds. Activities involving these including age, size, sex, and condi- committed without knowledge of the mammals or birds require a permit. tion (e.g., pregnant or nursing) or regulations, the tine will not exceed Areas of outstanding ecological in- the scientific names and numbers of $5,000. Criminal penalties for willful terest are designated as Specially native plants to be collected in a violation of the regulations may in- Protected Areas. No one may enter specially protected area. Each appli- volve a fine of up to $10,000 and/or these areas or collect any native cant must include a complete imprisonment for not more than I plants in these areas without a per- description of the location, the time year. mit. Areas of unique scientific value period, and the manner of taking or that need protection from inter- The Antarctic Conservation Act of collecting specimens. If the speci- 1978 does not supersede the Marine ference are designated as Sites of mens are to be imported into the Special Scientific Interest. Entry into Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the United States, the applicant must Endangered Species Act of 1973, or certain of these areas without a per- also indicate the ultimate disposition mit is prohibited. the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Per- of the materials. mit applications involving native Permits for taking or collecting mammals or native birds covered by mammals, birds, or plants will be these acts will be forwarded by NSF issued by the Director of the Na- to the agencies that administer them. CTIC tional Science Foundation or his If a proposed activity involves ap- designated representative. Each per- proval under more than one law, mit will be evaluated in terms of the then the activity must satisfy the objective of the Antarctic Conserva- conditions of all applicable laws or a tion Act, that is, the conservation permit cannot be granted. Even if a and protection of antarctic flora and permit is approved by other ap- fauna and the antarctic ecosystem. propriate agencies, the Director of Permits issued under these regula- the National Science Foundation still tions (or copies of them) must be must decide whether to issue a per- Editor Richard P. Muldoon held in the possession of those mit according to the requirements of authorized to engage in a permitted the Antarctic Conservation Act of Antarctic Journal of the United 1978. States, established in 1966, reports action. The permits must be dis- on U.S. activities in Antarctica and played upon request to any person These regulations amend Title 45 related activities elsewhere, and on responsible for enforcing the regula- of the Code of Federal Regulations trends in the U.S. Antarctic Program. tions. by adding Part 670, which reads as It is published quarterly (March, follows. June, September, and December) with a fifth annual review issue in October, by the Division of Polar Dr. Elmer Birney of the University of Minnesota tags a Weddell seal for population and Programs, National Science Founda- behavior studies, using tags carried by Jan Eldridge (right). Harry Phillips of Holmes tion, Washington, D.C. 20550. & Narver Inc.. assists. Telephone: 202/632-4076. A.. Subscription rates are $7.50 per five issues, domestic, and $9.50 per five issues, foreign; single copies are $1.10 ($1.40 foreign) except for the annual review issue, which is $3.50 ($4.50 foreign). Address changes and subscription matters should be sent to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. The director of the National Science Foundation has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this agency. Use of funds for printing this periodical has been approved by the director of the Office of Manage- ment and Budget through 30 September 1979. U.S. Navy photo by Douglas K Nort.11 ANTARCTIC R)URNAI Subpart A-Introduction CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC 670.1 Purpose of regulations. The purpose of these regulations ANIMALS AND PLANTS is to conserve and protect the native mammals, native birds and native plants of Antarctica and the ecosystem upon which they depend and to implement the Antarctic Con- servation Act of 1978, Public Law Subpart A-Introduction Subpart G-Specially Protected 95-541. Areas Sec. 670.2 Scope. 670.1 Purpose of regulations. 670.28 Specific issuance criteria. 670.29 Content of permit applica- These regulations apply to: (a) 670.2 Scope. Taking any mammal or bird native to 670.3 Definitions. tions. 670.30 Designation of specially Antarctica, Subpart B-Prohibited Acts, protected areas. (b) Collecting any plant native to Exceptions 670.31 [Reserved] Antarctica in a specially protected area, 670.4 Prohibited acts. Subpart H-Sites of Special (c) Entering any specially pro- 670.5 Exceptions in extraordinary Scientific Interest tected area or site of special scientific circumstances. interest. Prior possession exception. 670.32 Specific issuance criteria. 670.6 670.33 Content of permit applica- (d) Importing into or exporting 670.7 Food exception. from the United States any mammal Foreign permit exceptions. tions. 670.8 670.34 Designation of sites of or bird native to Antarctica or any plant collected in a specially pro- Subpart C-Permits special scientific interest and management plans for tected area, and Introducing into Antarctica 670.9 Application for permits. those sites. (e) 670.10 General issuance criteria. 670.35 [Reserved] any non-indigenous plant or animal. 670.11 Permit administration. Subpart I-Import into and Export 670.12 Conditions of permits. from the United States 670.3 Definitions. 670.13 Modification, suspension, and revocation. 670.36 Specific issuance criteria for In this Part: 670.14 [Reserved] imports. "Act" means the Antarctic Con- 670.37 Specific issuance criteria for servation Act of 1978, Public Law Subpart D-Native Mammals and exports. 95-541, 92 Stat. 2048 (16 U.S.C. 2401 Native Birds 670.38 Content of permit applica- et seq.) tions. 670.15 Specific issuance criteria. "Agreed Measures" means the 670.16 Content of permit applica- 670.39 Entry and exit ports. 670.40 [Reserved] Agreed Measures for the Conserva- tions. tion of Antarctic Fauna and Flora, as 670.17 Designation of native mam- Subpart J-Introduction of Non- recommended for approval at the mals. indigenous Plants and Animals. Third Antarctic Treaty Consultative 670.18 Designation of native birds. Meeting, and as amended in accord 670.19 [Reserved] 670.41 Specific issuance criteria. 670.42 Content of permit applica- with Article IX (1) of the Treaty. Subpart E-Specially Protected tions. "Antarctica" means the area Species of Mammals and Birds 670.43 Conditions of permits. south of 60 degrees south latitude. 670.44 [Reserved] 670.20 Specific issuance criteria. "Collect" means to cut, sever, or 670.21 Content of permit applica- AUTHORITY: Sec.