International deal signed to stop commercial fishing in Arctic
Staff Writer |
Canada has joined efforts with other nine nations to settle a deal agreeing that no commercial fishing will take place in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean until science says it can be managed sustainably, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced.
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Minister Dominic LeBlanc explained that the idea is to stop the activity while a better understanding of the area’s ecosystems is gained, and appropriate conservation and management measures can be established.
Canada has worked closely for many years with the other central Arctic Ocean coastal States: Denmark in respect of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Norway, Russia, and the United States.
LeBlanc pointed out that work has also been conducted with China, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the European Union, who have demonstrated an interest in cooperating with Coastal States in this area.
“Together we have taken a strong proactive and precautionary approach to potential fishing activities in the central Arctic Ocean as climate change continues to have a major impact in the area. The melting polar ice cap is opening up this once frozen frontier to fishing, shipping, resource development and other interests,†the minister stressed.
The deal will prevent commercial fishing in the region for at least 16 years and will automatically be renewed in 2033, and then every five years after that, unless one of the countries objects or fishing quotas and rules governing commercial fisheries have been put in place.
LeBlanc also said that Canada and the other Parties have committed to a program of joint scientific research and monitoring to gain a better knowledge of Arctic Ocean ecosystems and the potential for sustainable fisheries in the future.
In addition to that, he commented that throughout the negotiation process, they have engaged with Inuit organizations including representatives of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, who were on the Canadian delegation to the negotiations and with key stakeholders including Territorial governments, the fishing industry, and environmental groups, to seek their views and input.
The final text recognizes Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ interests, the value of Indigenous knowledge in decision making, and provides for their inclusion in the process moving forward.
The Government of Canada is committed to pursuing a Nation-to-Nation relationship with the Indigenous Peoples of this country and will continue to engage them and other northern residents in decisions about the Arctic Ocean. ■