Edith Fanta (Fig. 1) died on 7 May 2008, in Curtiba, Brazil, after a brave struggle against cancer. The Brazilian Antarctic Community deeply regrets her death.
Fig. 1.
Dr Fanta was a researcher in marine biology and professor at the Federal University of Paraná. She developed studies in the area of morphology, behaviour and physiology of fish and also engaged in environmental issues. She was part of the Brazilian Antarctic programme for 25 years, since the first Brazilian Antarctic expedition, in 1983, and contributed considerably to knowledge of the biology of Antarctic organisms. Enthusiastic and devoted to Antarctic science, she recognised the natural values of that region and served with distinction in the preservation of the Antarctic environment. She also contributed expressively to capacity building, bringing into Antarctic science a legion of new scientists.
A member of the Brazilian National Committee of Scientific Research, she represented Brazil in the SCAR biology/life sciences standing scientific group and in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) from 1992. From the early 1990's she made valuable contributions to the Antarctic Treaty System as member of the SCAR group of specialists on environmental affairs and conservation for over ten years and as member of the SCAR groups on evolution in the Antarctic and evolution and biodiversity in Antarctica. She also organised the 9th SCAR International Biology Symposium at the Federal University of Paraná, the first such meeting in South America. In 2005, Edith Fanta became chair of the Scientific Committee of CCAMLR and served as a member of the International Polar Year Joint Committee from its inception.
In addition to her activities in various international committees, she continued to be an active researcher. She led a project in the framework of the IPY, providing the Brazilian national input to the international IPY project on evolution and biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA). It was typical of Edith that despite her dwindling health, she carried on working on these projects to the last possible moment.
Dr Edith Fanta was an important and well respected member of the Brazilian scientific community and will be sorely missed. We know for certain that only a few gave their life for Antarctica as Edith did, dedicating a great part of it to study and protect the region. Her dedication, strength, determination and enthusiasm for Antarctic matters will always be remembered.
Tania Aparecida Silva Brito
