Governance and Management of Arctic Fisheries
Warming of the Arctic has taken place with a loss of sea ice and changes in the Arctic ecosystem. Valuable commercial species may move northward and large-scale commercial fishing may be proposed. This paper considers the potential for commercial fisheries in the Arctic, much of which is internation...
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| Format: | Conference Object |
| Language: | English unknown |
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International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade
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| Online Access: | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/conference_proceedings_or_journals/9593tw332 |
| Summary: | Warming of the Arctic has taken place with a loss of sea ice and changes in the Arctic ecosystem. Valuable commercial species may move northward and large-scale commercial fishing may be proposed. This paper considers the potential for commercial fisheries in the Arctic, much of which is international waters, and discuss the institutional arrangements needed - their authority, objectives, responsibilities, and structures. Current international institutions and agreements, including the Arctic Council, in which Arctic nations promote cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States and other multilateral and regional agreements, are assessed for their adaptability, effectiveness, and efficiency. Can current arrangements be adapted for Arctic fisheries or are new agreements needed? An agreement between all potential participants and all those affected is imperative before any large-scale commercial fishing occurs. The Arctic could set an example with fisheries management and governance that avoids rent dissipation, adapts to a changing natural environment, protects the rights of indigenous peoples, and anticipates rather than reacts to changes. Any institutional arrangement in the Arctic needs to address a number of challenges, including the limited knowledge of the ecosystem, the speed and consequences of climate change, other potential uses of the Arctic (including shipping and fossil fuel extraction), territorial claims and disputes, and the wishes and actions of non-Arctic nations. The impacts due to a warmer climate and potential marine commercial fisheries on the fisheries carried on by indigenous populations and fisheries in the lakes and rivers of the Arctic are also discussed. Keywords: Climate Variability and Variation, Fisheries Management, Fisheries Economics |
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