Summary
This international agreement opens with the recognition that the Arctic Ocean, once covered in ice, has recently become accessible by humans due to changes in the ecosystem, which are rooted in human-driven climate change. The agreement also cites principles of preexisting international provisions as a motivating factor for this new agreement. However, the agreement also tacitly acknowledges the low probability that commercial fishing in the Arctic Ocean is likely to be profitable in the foreseeable future. The agreement then outlines key definitions, such as “fish” (which encompasses all non-sedentary species of fish, molluscs, and crustaceans) and “exploratory fishing” (those activities conducted for the purpose of assessing the sustainability of commercial fishing in a given region).
The agreement limits commercial and exploratory fishing in the Arctic Ocean to the purposes of contributing to conservation management measures.The agreement goes on to require that, within two years of ratification, the signatory states cooperate in their scientific activities, specifically mandating the formation of a Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring. Biennial meetings are also mandated. The agreement requires that within three years of taking force, conservation and management measures are established for exploratory fishing. The agreement closes with provisions outlining decision-making, which will be conducted on the basis of a majority vote of the parties involved. The final articles deal with non-parties (whom are encouraged to act as if they had signed the agreement), the twelve-month signing period (beginning on 3 October 2018), entry into force (30 days after all parties sign), withdrawal (achieved by written notification), and duration (sixteen years following the entry into force).