An agreement to prevent unregulated fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean took effect on Friday, 25 June.
In all, 10 parties signed the pact during a summit in Greenland back in 2018. The goal behind the initiative is to learn more about the high-seas region that previously has only been traversed by ice breakers. In recent years, though, areas of Central Arctic ice have melted during the summer, making it easier for other vessels to access.
According to a release from the Arctic Council, the member countries sought to prevent commercial fishing in the region until more scientific information became available. Arctic nations also invited countries with long-range fishing capacities to join in the talks.
The council’s statement does indicate that commercial fishing in the region offers “promising” potential.
“Yet, as of today, we know very little about the ecosystem below the shrinking ice cover and unregulated fishing could have severe impacts,” the statement read.
The parties that signed the agreement are Canada, China, Denmark, the European Union, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.
A statement from the U.S. State Department noted that the nation led the negotiations for the pact, which includes joint research and monitoring initiatives.
The agreement will be in place for 16 years and can be renewed every five years after that. During that timeframe, signatories have pledged not to allow any commercial fishing boat flying its flag to harvest fish in the Central Arctic.
“We regard the agreement as a serious step towards promoting responsible governance and an ecosystem-based approach to the management of marine resources in the Arctic,” Russian Ambassador Nikolay Korchunov, chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, said in a statement. “And we are looking forward to constructively engage with all parties to safeguard a sustainable future for the Central Arctic Ocean.”
Photo courtesy of nesrin ozdemir/Shutterstock
