New declaration binds Arctic coastal states to fishing ban – Nunatsiaq News

“Although this is a good start, we need a binding international agreement”

Gone. Fishing.

The five Arctic coastal states have agreed to an official ban on unregulated commercial fishing in open waters of the Arctic Ocean.

Canada, the United States, Norway, Russia and Denmark — representing Greenland — signed a declaration July 16 at meetings in Oslo, Norway, to protect the so-called “donut hole” at the top of the world from over-fishing before more is known about the fish stocks and potentially fragile ecosystem there.

To that end, the five countries stated in their declaration that they “intend to authorize their vessels to conduct any future commercial fishing in this area only once one or more international mechanisms are in place to manage any such fishing in accordance with recognized international standards,” said a July 16 news release from the U.S. State Department.

Read more: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674new_declaration_binds_arctic_coastal_states_to_fishing_ban/