The texts of the Decisions and Resolutions, and the text of Measure 1 (2004), together with a summary of the Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Managed area No. 2, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land, adopted at XXVII ATCM were reproduced in SCAR Bulletin No 155, October 2004. A summary of the Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Managed Area No. 3, Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V land, together with Measures 2–4, are reproduced here. The full versions of all the Decisions, Measures and Resolutions are on the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat website at http://www.ats.org.ar/

This year has seen considerable successes for the Institute and its staff in terms of both academic research and our role in projecting the history and environmental significance of the polar regions more widely. In the physical and social sciences, and in our library, archival, and museum activities, we have secured a wide range of external grants. The acquisition of significant external funding for research in the social sciences and humanities, and for museum activities, represents an important addition to our continuing strong portfolio of competitively won research council grants relating to high-latitude environmental change. Institute staff hold grants of almost £2.5 million, and it is this external funding that has supported polar field programmes in both the natural and social sciences during 2004 in Antarctica, Greenland, Svalbard, and the Russian Far East. The information collected, using methods ranging from airborne lasers deployed over glaciers to informal discussions with native Siberian reindeer herders, will provide the basis for a number of forthcoming publications in both academic journals and books accessible to a wider readership.

Gordon de Quetteville Robin died on 21 September 2004 at the age of 83. During his life he contributed significantly and innovatively to his own academic subject of glaciology and, persuaded of the high value of cooperation between national groups at an early age, promoted actively and effectively the cause of international collaboration in Antarctica. He raised the profile and contribution to polar research of the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, to a new peak during his influential directorship between 1958 and 1982.

David Eric Yelverton, polar historian, expert on the Polar Medal, and enthusiast for all things related to Antarctic heritage, died on 20 November 2004, aged 82. He had suffered from a variety of health problems for some time, although he had steadfastly continued working on several projects, including his just-published book Quest for a phantom strait.

Malcolm Kirton, Antarctic geophysicist and former president of the ANARE Club, died on 20 November 2004, aged 72.