The role of areas to be avoided in the governance of shipping in the greater Bering Strait region

Abstract

Commercial vessel traffic in the Bering Strait is increasing. The region is, however, remote from most forms of response to accidents or disasters. The Indigenous cultures of the Bering Strait region continue traditional practices, including hunting and fishing in the waters of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Ecologically, the Bering Strait region is home to a spectacular abundance of seabirds, marine mammals, and marine productivity. The confluence of expanding maritime commerce, remoteness, vibrant Indigenous cultures, and extraordinary biological richness requires robust governance to promote maritime safety, cultural protection, and environmental conservation. The use of areas to be avoided (ATBAs) offers one mechanism to help achieve this goal, and three have already been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) along with shipping routes through the Bering Strait. This paper explores the potential for additional ATBAs to promote environmental conservation in both the Bering Strait itself and in the larger Bering-Chukchi ecoregion, as one component of a wider discussion also encompassing Indigenous and maritime concerns. The availability of reliable environmental information—particularly real-time data—is one important constraint on the design and delineation of ATBAs. Effective communication among mariners, Indigenous hunters, scientists, and waterway managers is also essential for ATBAs to be effective. If these conditions can be met, ATBAs can become an essential component of well-regulated shipping throughout this sensitive region.