The Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement and Arctic Indigenous peoples

Abstract

The Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (CAOFA) is a unique treaty that deals with a unique scenario: in an area of the high seas where no fishing has ever taken place, it determines the conditions under which future fishing can commence. Another innovation for which the CAOFA is less well-known are various aspects relating to Arctic Indigenous peoples. This article examines Arctic Indigenous issues relating to the CAOFA and focuses in particular on the participation of Arctic Indigenous peoples in the negotiations on the CAOFA and subsequent meetings of the CAOFA, as well as the needs of, and impacts on, Arctic Indigenous peoples as considerations in decisions by the CAOFA’s Conference of the Parties (COP) on commercial and exploratory fishing.