This paper describes the growth and development of the sealing industry of northern Norway from 1859 to 1909 and is based largely on hunting returns and shipping records of the Tromsø fleet. Arctic hunting operations displayed remarkable diversity across the years and the ascendancy of sealing only emerged towards the end of the 19th century. The paper shows how the fleet increased in size despite the lack of capital in northern Norway for investment in new vessels and how hunting grew in significance as a commercial operation following the introduction of modern hunting techniques and better weapons. The fleet increased almost eightfold, from 6 vessels in 1859 to 46 in 1909 while the harvest of seals increased from less than 1500 to over 30000 animals annually. The geographical range of the hunting grounds expanded correspondingly from a limited area around Jan Mayen and the west coast of Spitsbergen to a huge area which included the western ice (north and south of Jan Mayen), the northern ice (Svalbard), the eastern ice (Kola Peninsula to Novaya Zemlya, the White Sea), Zemlya Frantsa-Isoifa [Franz Joseph Land], the Denmark Strait and northeast Greenland. The species composition of the harvest underwent a remarkable series of transitions, one species being replaced by another as local stocks became successively depleted. Thus, it was dominated numerically first by Svalbard reindeer and walrus, then beluga whales and then cod before finally consisting largely of polar bears, bottlenose whales and seals. Owners and skippers responded to reductions in numbers by searching for new hunting grounds and, in doing so, sailed further north, then east and then west than ever before, coincidentally making a series of historical voyages of discovery. By the end of these five decades sloops had largely been replaced by ketch rigged diesel sealers, these being an assortment of new, salvaged and second hand foreign ships.

After World War II (WWII), the USSR acquired a whaling flotilla as war reparations from the Germans. This event was the beginning of Soviet whaling in the Antarctic. It also motivated the USSR to sign the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling and to use its whaling operations to exercise leverage with regard to political advantage in any future discussions on an international regime for the Antarctic.

What are the driving forces behind large scale natural resource exploitation in the polar regions and how should we understand the relations between these forces? New historical-archaeological research performed during the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2009 on whaling, hunting and mining in Spitsbergen (1600–present) show both economic and geopolitical factors driving the development of those industries, both the whaling industries in the 17th century and 1900’s, and the mining industry of the early 20th century. However, the relation between these driving forces has differed, both between time periods and between actors. In most cases economic motives provided the main rationale for utilising resources and for government support for resource exploiters, but in some instances governments would support even unprofitable ventures in order to maintain a foothold on Spitsbergen.

Torngat Mountains National Park (TMNP) is Canada's newest national park, and was established in 2005. The development of the park has mirrored a change in mandate for the agency that manages it, Parks Canada. Since 2005 Parks Canada has sought to focus on ‘proactively facilitate[ing] opportunities for meaningful and memorable visitor experiences’, complimentary to maintaining the protection of ecological integrity and providing education (Parks Canada 2005, no page numbers). Under the auspices of this new multi-faceted mandate, this research note will examine the current state of tourism in TMNP, and will also evaluate some of the opportunities and challenges for the future. Within Parks Canada's Visitor experience vision 2015 statement, understanding tourism delivery in the present and future are important components of its mission, as is engagement with external partners to assist in this process. The analysis of tourism development in TMNP for this note comes from the authors' two week research trips to the park in August 2008 and July 2009, undertaken to assist Parks Canada to evaluate their current visitor experience activities and future options.

The number of patents and patent applications related to inventions based on biological material from the Antarctic is increasing. Bioprospecting in the Antarctic is happening with no explicit regulation of property rights or benefit sharing requirements. This leaves patent law as the only legal system to establish exclusive rights to genes, bacteria, and other biological material found in the Antarctic. Patent law is general in form and is applied to all areas of invention with very few adaptations to single fields of innovation. Therefore, it is interesting to identify the issues in patent law in cases in which the biological material from the Antarctic is likely to create challenges or loopholes. The aim of this article is to couple the understanding of this particular legal regime and of biological circumstances in the Antarctic with knowledge of the international patent system for the purpose of contributing to the work of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs) regarding bioprospecting in the Antarctic.

Before 1998, concern was raised over the potential for human activities in Antarctica to introduce infectious disease organisms to native wildlife. A workshop was held that year to address this issue. In the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in human traffic to the Antarctic and the number of commercial tourists visiting the Antarctic has steadily risen. Personnel of national science programmes, though relatively few in numbers, have the most intimate contact with wildlife and thus the greater potential to introduce organisms through their research activities. Many visitors are now able to arrive in the Antarctic from temperate regions within hours by aircraft, and from northern polar regions within 24 to 36 hours. Tourists, by their high numbers, also have the potential to transfer infectious disease agents among commonly visited sites. As of 2009, no outbreaks of infectious diseases in the Antarctic reported in the literature have been directly attributed to human activity, but the ameliorating climate may break down the barriers that have kept Antarctic wildlife relatively free of infectious diseases. Several agents of infectious diseases reported in Antarctic seabirds and seals are assessed for their likelihood to occur more frequently in terms of the characteristics of the agent, the behaviour of Antarctic wildlife, and the effects of an ameliorating climate (regional warming) in conjunction with continued increasing human activities.

This paper examines the relationship between resource development and aboriginal community and cultural impacts in Canada's north from the 1970s to the present. Based on a review of published literature, it is contended that northern centred scholarship can be conceptualised in two phases. These are firstly the community impacts phase (1970 to mid-1990s), a phase guided largely by a cultural politics of assimilation, a sociology of disturbance, and an anthropology of acculturation; and secondly the community continuity phase (mid-1990s to present), a phase underpinned by political empowerment, participatory social impact assessment, and the influence of cultural ecology. Due to these shifting political dynamics and research frameworks, and a lack of longitudinal research in the north over the last four decades, it is concluded that the nature of the relationship between resource development and aboriginal culture remains elusive and subject to wide ranging interpretation. Analysis shows that cultural impacts from resource development are dependent on the scale of development and spatial disturbance. It also shows growing political power in the north, a greater focus on community-based research, and renewed discussion of cultural continuity and how it is defined and assessed over time.

Over a period of 142 days of polar cruising, all visits and reasons for those visits to the on board ship doctor's surgery by 360 crew members and 497 passengers were recorded and analysed. Despite the difference in age structure (passengers were mostly 60 years of age or older, while the crew were predominantly 20–30 years old), typically geriatric problems were seen in only a few passengers. While common cold related complaints dominated in the crew members, the passengers suffered more frequently from sea- and motion sickness and had slightly more respiratory and orthopaedic complaints. Typically cold weather related problems like hypothermia and frostbite were hardly seen at all and total prostheses of hips and knees (which involved several passengers) stood up surprisingly well to the polar climate and terrain. The surprisingly good physical condition of the elderly passengers suggests that the clientele of polar cruises represents an overall ‘fitter’ and healthier sub-population of elderly people. The on board preparatory lectures, warning the passengers of possible risks ashore and on board, must also have helped to keep down incidences requiring medical attention. A doctor, serving as an on-board physician on a cruise ship in polar waters, needs to be aware that the majority of his/her potential patients will be elderly folk. Familiarisation with facilities, medical equipment and drugs on board prior to departure is essential. The cruise ship doctor in addition to emergency experience needs experience in treating dermal disorders and orthopaedic conditions. Skills in chiropractic measures and/or acupuncture are an advantage and a thorough knowledge of cold weather induced conditions is a must.

Few scientific observations have been made at Middle and Stoltenhoff Islands, small (ca 10 ha) islands off the north coast of Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha. We recorded vascular plants and numbers of breeding birds on both islands in December 2009. Despite being smaller and more isolated than Middle Island, Stoltenhoff supported more species of plants, including Cotula moseleyi, previously thought to be endemic to Nightingale Island. Only one alien plant was found, Sonchus oleraceus. Populations of two albatross species apparently have decreased by at least half over the last 40 years, presumably due to mortality at sea. Stoltenhoff probably has the least disturbed habitat in the Tristan group, and strict controls are needed to prevent accidental introductions by anyone going ashore.

The meeting of the International Board of the Antarctic Treaty summit (http://www.atsummit50.aq) celebrating the 50th anniversary of the treaty, signed on 1 December 1959, provided an opportunity to design a medal based on the theme of science ‘in the interest of all mankind,’ as expressed in the treaty's preamble.

Each year Polar Record calls upon numerous scholars to assist in the demanding and intensive refereeing and peer-review procedures for manuscripts submitted for publication. These individuals give generously of their time and expertise to help ensure that a high academic quality is maintained in Polar Record. During the preparation of the four issues for 2010, the following individuals participated in the review and refereeing process. Our deep appreciation for their assistance is offered to all.