WWF Arctic Programme is now observer for the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement Convention of the Parties

Stockholm, 14 October 2022. WWF Arctic Programme granted observer status for the Convention of the Parties for the Agreement to prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the central Arctic Ocean.

WWF Arctic Programme has been granted Observer status at the Convention of the Parties for the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement. This monumental agreement entered into force in June 2021 with the purpose of preventing unregulated fishing in the high seas area of the Central Arctic Ocean (CAO) by establishing an interim prohibition on commercial fishing.

The climate crisis has led to a decrease in Arctic sea ice with a likely increase in commercial activities such as fishing to follow.  To avoid overfishing such as that of the pollock in the Aleutian Basin near Alaska in the 1980s, 10 parties (Canada, Denmark on behalf of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Norway, Russia, the United States, China, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union) signed the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement (CAOFA) in October 2018 which entered into force in June 2021.

The legally binding agreement, preventing unregulated fishing activities in the central Arctic Ocean, is in effect for 16 years and renewable in five-year increments. This gives scientists time to determine if fish stocks are present and can be fished sustainably as well as to evaluate if fishing would impact other resources in the area as well as put regulatory measures in place before any fishing is authorized. This agreement is an example of good governance in the Arctic because of the precautionary approach to conservation, and by truly acknowledging the importance of Indigenous knowledge.

The parties will officially kick-start the development of implementation measures and tools vital to the agreement at the first meeting held in November 2022 in South Korea and WWF Arctic Programme will be participating.

Kiira Keski-Nirva, Senior Adviser, Arctic Policy WWF Arctic Programme said:

“WWF Arctic Programme has extensive experience in issues related to marine ecosystems and working with international organizations, governments and Indigenous knowledge holders for the benefit of Arctic ecosystems and local communities.

We fully support the agreement’s objective to prevent unregulated fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean and we look forward to co-operating with the parties in establishing and applying precautionary conservation and management measures. This is a key in order to safeguard healthy marine ecosystems and to ensure conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks.

As inclusive approach to conservation is at the heart of our activities, we also look forward to supporting the innovative principle of the agreement of combining Indigenous knowledge and science as basis for decision-making.”

For further information:

Andrea Norgren | Sr. Manager Communications, Arctic Programme | andrea.norgren@wwf.se