Five Arctic coastal states stop short of total fishing moratorium
NunatsiaqOnline 2014-02-27
▻http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674five_arctic_ocean_nations_stop_short_of_fishing_moratorium
The five Arctic Ocean coastal states have stopped short of calling for a total moratorium on fishing the high seas in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, but they have agreed to work toward “interim measures to deter unregulated fishing” in that area until further scientific study of the ecosystem has been completed.
“Based on available scientific information, commercial fishing in the high seas area of the central Arctic Ocean is unlikely to occur in the near future,” says a chairman’s statement released Feb. 27, following a meeting this week in Nuuk, Greenland.
“The meeting therefore also reaffirmed that there is no need at present to develop any additional regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) or arrangement for this area.”
Canada, the United States and Denmark, representing Greenland, had been calling for a full moratorium on fishing that area going into the Feb. 24-26 Nuuk meeting. Russia and Norway, at the time, were not onside.