Fisheries Governance and How It Fits Within the Broader Arctic Governance

Climate change is causing the Arctic ice to melt and fish stocks to change their migration patterns. These changes are increasing access to Arctic fisheries, as well as moving other fish stocks to the north. To prevent the depletion of fish stocks and to protect the Arctic environment, proper fisheries governance requires collaboration between nation-states and specific populations. Fisheries present unique governance and management issues. Unlike other natural resources, fish stocks do not stay in the same place. The non-stationary nature of fish stocks, along with shared sovereignty over the oceans, make coordination between stakeholders the most difficult as well as the most important component of any fisheries governance structure. Based on the need to protect aboriginals’ economic and social interests in effective fisheries management, an Arctic-Regional Fisheries Management Organization must be created and work with countries to co-govern the fisheries located with the Arctic. Such a governance structure will ensure that fisheries are properly protected and that the interests of peoples whose livelihood depends on fisheries will be adequately represented