From July to October 1977, during the polar winter and at the beginning of spring, line-fishing was carried out at Admiralty Bay, near the Arctowski Station on King George Island, (South Shetland Islands). At that time only three species of fish were caught: Notothenia rossi marmorata, Notothenia coriiceps neglecta and Trematomus newnesi. Fish was caught in the irshore zone at depths ranging from 2 to 40—60 m.

The number 1 aim of the paper is to note theoretical explanations of three facts: the remarkably rapid acceleration of the rate of growth of the per capita domestic product (GDP) in a small part of the world economy in the early 19th century, a strong stability of the per capita GDP growth rates in countries of that part since then, and a very strong divergence in the per capita GDP growth among the less developed countries. The number 2 aim is to note the probable implications of these explanations for the likely rate of global economic growth during this and next centuries.