Implications of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea for the management of fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean

Abstract

With the prospect of fisheries developing in the Central Arctic Ocean as climate changes and summer sea ice retreats, an effective international agreement is under diplomatic discussion to foster a successful fisheries management regime. This paper explores the implications of the Central Bering Sea experience for a fisheries agreement covering the Central Arctic Ocean. The 1980s and early 1990s witnessed the depletion of pollock resources from overfishing in the Central Bering Sea, a high seas area of the sub-Arctic. With joint efforts from coastal states and distant-water fishing states, the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea was signed, facilitating the involvement of both groups in the establishment of a management regime and the implementation of management measures. Specifically, the paper considers the role of the precautionary approach, cooperation between coastal states and distant-water fishing states, timely establishment of a Regional Fisheries Management Organization, dynamic fisheries management, and scientific research and investigation. The analysis indicates ways to address challenges and potentially conflicting interests in the Central Arctic Ocean fisheries management.