POLISH AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN THE SOUTH SHETLANDS

Worldwide interest was focused on Antarctica during 1975/76 because of the possible exploitation of krill, Euphausia superba, stocks of which had been estimated at hundreds of millions of tons. To investigate fishing possibilities Poland sent two ships to Western Antarctica in a research program directed by Dr. S. Rakusa-Suszczewski in January-February of 1976. These ships visited the Chilean Presidente Eduardo Frei and the Soviet Bellingshausen stations in Maxwell Bay on King George Island. Around this time the Italians built a small hut on the shore of Ezcurra Inlet in Admiralty Bay, which although abandoned, was later included on Polish maps of the area in the name Italian Valley.

In December 1976 two more Polish ships set sail from Gdynia, bound for Antarctica. This expedition was lead by Dr. Rakusa-Suszczewski. Originally the plan was to establish the Henryk Arctowski station on Livingstone Island. After a short reconnaissance Admiralty Bay was found to be more suitable. The initial landing on Point Thomas revealed masses of whale bones, a stream flowing from the surrounding hills to form small ponds, and a wide flat terrain which appeared ideally suited to our needs. Admiralty Bay was deep with a diverse shore line, full of birds, penguins, seals, and surrounded by glaciers.

In 1983/84 Brazil established the Commandante Ferraz station in the vicinity of the abandoned British base on MacKellar Peninsula, some 8km from Arctowski. The southern end of King George Island has seen considerable expansion in the number of bases in recent years. The Chileans built Teniente Rodolfo Marsh station in the vicinity of their Eduardo Frei base. The former, which now has buildings in the environs of the Russian Bellingshausen station, includes a hotel, school, and an airport. Only 2 km to the west, the Chinese People's Republic establish the Great Wall station in 1985, and several kilometers to the east Uruguay established their General Artigas station.

In the 1987/88 season, Poland helped Spain to build their Juan Carlos I station in Johnson Dock, Livingstone Island. A later Polish expedition also helped to transport and install a biology laboratory at this station. During 1988 he South Koreans began construction of their King Sejong station in Marion Cove close to Maxwell Bay. At the same time Ecuador established a 'refuge' on Hennequin Point in Admiralty Bay, and in the next year the Peruvians established their Machu Pichu station. The Peruvian station was not inhabited and high winds later partially destroyed the main building, although repairs were begun in 1991. The Americans commenced ornithological work in Admiralty Bay in the mid 70's and every summer a small team operates from their field station in SSSI No.8, colloquially known as Copacabana, or Peter J. Lenie station.

King George Island and the South Shetland group in general are accessible to countries not in possession of ice-breakers, or the technology required to build and maintain stations on ice shelves or the continent.

Consequently the area has become somewhat overcrowded, although Argentina and Germany are now cooperating in the expansion of Jubany station. Similarly Poland has recently begun to move towards greater cooperation with many countries and has the potential for sharing facilities. As an example, during 1990/91, 22 members of the Dutch Antarctic Expedition spent 6 weeks at Arctowski station. In addition, Poland and Brazil have jointly proposed that Admiralty Bay be designated a Multiple Use Planning Area (MPA).