Managing the frozen commons - Antarctica: Global Science from a Frozen Continent - page 300

Figure 10.14 MS Explorer sinking in Gerlache Strait in 2007. (Credit: Instituto Antartico Chileno)

Another challenge looming ahead is that of bioprospecting. Again it raises the
issue of ownership. At present it is very unclear whether bioprospecting in
Antarctica will be a signi cant commercial activity, but some maintain that the

evolution of species in cold climates may have led to a gene pool of high signi cance.

Exploitation at the microbial level is likely to cause little damage, but harvesting of
target species, especially slow growing benthic ones, could be very damaging.
In summary it can be said that the problems in the near future for the Antarctic
Treaty are likely to be new ones related to increasing commercial interests.
Nevertheless, they seem smaller than those surmounted during the past decades. The
ATCPs have shown an appreciation of scienti c advice, and an ability to solve

potential disputes before the problems became intractable. In recognising each
other's fundamental limits the ATCPs have again and again been able to nd

accommodations that were acceptable by all sides within the safeguards provided for
in Article IV. This ability to deal with issues before they become insoluble, coupled
with a restraint in the pursuit of national interests, bodes well for the future
management of Antarctica under a Treaty now over 50 years old.