By Hannah HoagDec. 1, 2017
, 1:30 PM
Nine nations and the European
Union have reached a deal to place the central Arctic Ocean (CAO) off-limits to
commercial fishers for at least the next 16 years. The pact, announced
yesterday, will give scientists time to understand the region’s marine
ecology—and the potential impacts of climate change—before fishing becomes
widespread.
“There is no other high seas area
where we’ve decided to do the science first,” says Scott Highleyman, vice
president of conservation policy and programs at the Ocean Conservancy in
Washington, D.C., who also served on the U.S. delegation to the negotiations.
“It’s a great example of putting the precautionary principle into action.”
The deal to protect 2.8 million
square kilometers of international waters in the Arctic was reached after six
meetings spread over 2 years. It includes not just nations with coastal claims
in the Arctic, but nations such as China, Japan, and South Korea with fishing
fleets interested in operating in the region.
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