Preface R. M. Laws and J.-O. Stromberg 1. History, organization and accomplishments of the BIOMASS programme S. Z. El-Sayed 2. Antarctic marine environment: physical oceanography M. Stein, R. B. Heywood, N. Smith, P. Treguer and E. Fahrbach 3. Antarctic marine stocks: phytoplankton and zoo plankton J. Priddle, F. Brandini, M. Lipski, M. Thorley, G. Jacques, M. Fukuchi, S. Schnack-Schiel, A. Mujica, G. Hosie and E. Sakshang 4. Antarctic marine stocks: krill I. Everson, D. Miller, V. Siegel, J. Kalinowski, L. B. Quetin, R. M. Ross, A. Clarke and D. G. M. Miller 5. Antarctic marine stocks: fish and birds A. Kellermann, A. North, R. Williams, G. Duhamel, G. Hunt, J. Croxall, P. Trathan, J. Cooper, E. Woehler and J. C. Hureau 6. Antarctic marine systems H. J. Marchant, E. J. Murphy, K.-H. Kock, Y. Shimadzu, M. Thorley and P. Trathan 7. Future developments J. Priddle, M. Thorley, P. Trathan, J. Croxall, G. Hubold, K. Sherman and G. Hempel 8. Critical appraisal of the BIOMASS programme G. E. Fogg Index.