Arctic marine protection

THERE is no universally accepted definition of theArctic. Depending on the discipline, boundariesmay be set at the Arctic Circle (66˚33'N), the 10˚C July isotherm, the continuous or discontinuous permafrost line, or the continuous tree line—or according to some other criterion, such as species range. The Arctic can also be defined on the basis of political boundaries. Each of the eight Arctic countries that share the approximately 15 million km2 Arctic marine environment uses its own description. For the purposes of this discussion, the Arctic marine environment consists of the Arctic Ocean and the seas, major bays, and straits that surround it. These are th