, and protected areas; it prohibits all activities
relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses by or
against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under
jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply to
Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C.
section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the
following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute:
the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected or
scientific areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the
importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation
of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000
in fines and one year in prison. The Departments of Treasury,
Commerce, Transportation, and Interior share enforcement
responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation
Act of 1978, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to
notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Room
5801, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such
plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more
information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,
National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230 (703)
306-1031, or see their website at www.nsf.gov.

Economy

Economy--overview: No economic activity is conducted at present,
except for fishing off the coast and small-scale tourism, both based
abroad. Antarctic fisheries in 1997-98 reported landing 92,456
metric tons. Unregulated fishing landed five to six times more than
the regulated fishery, and allegedly illegal fishing in antarctic
waters in 1998 resulted in the seizure (by France and Australia) of
at least eight fishing ships. A total of 9,604 tourists visited in
the 1997-98 summer, up from the 7,413 who visited the previous year.
Nearly all of them were passengers on 13 commercial
(nongovernmental) ships that made 92 trips during the summer. Around
200 tourists were on yachts or commercial aircraft. Most tourist
trips lasted approximately two weeks.

Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 2 (American Forces Ant