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The plan establishes a process to consider requests to develop Arctic commercial fishing. (Photo: NOAA)
Arctic Fishery Plan bans commercial fishing
UNITED STATES
Thursday, November 05, 2009, 01:10 (GMT + 9)
A large portion of the Arctic Ocean will become off-limits to commercial fishing on 3 December. This comes as part of the implementation of the Fishery Management Plan for Fish Resources of the Arctic Management Area published in the Federal Register on 3 November, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced.
The plan establishes a process to consider requests to develop fisheries in the Arctic based upon the latest scientific findings.
"We need a rush of scientists into the Arctic, not an armada of cargo ships, oil platforms and fishing trawlers," said Chris Krenz, Arctic project manager for the environmental group Oceana, The Associated Press reports.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) began assessing fishery management options for the Arctic in 2006. The Council then held discussions with communities from Alaska’s North Slope as well as other stakeholders.
Members feared that the loss of sea ice would make new areas of the Arctic vulnerable to commercial fishing. Because insufficient data was available to determine how to sustainably manage this new fishing in the Arctic, the Council chose to take cautious measures and prohibit commercial fishing.
The plan affects commercial fishing for all stocks of finfish and shellfish in federal waters, except Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut, which are managed under other authorities. It also identifies Arctic cod, saffron cod and snow crab as likely initial target species for fishers.
Salmon, whitefish and shellfish fisheries in Alaska near the Arctic shore are not affected. The plan does not affect subsistence fishing and hunting in the Arctic either.
Industrial fishing will be prohibited in nearly 200,000 sqmi of US waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
Dave Benton, executive director of the Marine Conservation Alliance (MCA), an industry group that represents the Alaskan seafood, groundfish and crab industries, expressed support for the plan. He said that the US is setting a good example for other countries interested in the potential of fishing in the central Arctic.
"It sets the foundation for negotiation and confirms the US’ leadership role to engage the international community to put a moratorium in place in the international waters of the central high Arctic," Benton said.
When Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke approved it in August, he said that the goal of the Arctic Fishery Management Plan is to set sustainable fishing practices that will not harm the fragile Arctic ecosystem. The NPFMC had adopted the Arctic Fishery Management Plan in February with the support of industry and conservation groups.
Related articles:
- Beaufort Sea fishing moratorium mulled
- Arctic fisheries plan approved
By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  NOAA -National Marine Fisheries Service- NMFS
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