Best Practices in Ecosystem-based Oceans Management in the Arctic.

Abstract

The aggregate effects of multiple uses of the oceans – fishing, transportation, petroleum development, waste disposal, etc. – call for an ecosystem-based approach to oceans management. The need for oceans management based on an ecosystem approach is now widely recognized by the international community, as reflected in calls for the application of the ecosystem approach by 2010 in the 2002 Johannesburg Plan of Implementation from WSSD1 as well as in recommendations from the UN General Assembly.2 In the Arctic context, the 2004 Arctic Marine Strategic Plan3 points to challenges and opportunities in this regard, and the working map of the 17 Arctic LMEs represents a basis for further work. The 2004 Arctic Marine Strategic Plan defines ecosystem-based management as an approach that “requires that development activities be coordinated in a way that minimizes their impact on the environment and integrates thinking across environmental, socio-economic, political and sectoral realms.”4 The employment of an ecosystem-based approach to oceans management is critical to the protection and sustainable use of marine ecosystems. However, the form and content of the ecosystem-based approach to oceans management is context dependent and vary from case to case. An important distinction is between the ecosystem-based approach to the management as applied to oceans in general on the one hand, and its use within one sector, as e.g. fisheries, on the other. The application of the ecosystem approach to oceans management of Arctic waters raises a number of issues with commonalities across the Arctic region: ice-covered waters, transboundary cooperation, fisheries management, exploitation of petroleum under severe climatic conditions, long-range transport of pollutants, indigenous communities, socio-economic growth and sustainability issues, and the impacts of climate change. Objectives Oceans management is carried out by governments, independently and in cooperation with other states. States and their practices in ecosystem-based oceans management ais therefore the basis for an analysis of the factors that contribute to sustainable use and conservation of Arctic marine ecosystems. The objective of the project is to present the concepts and practices the Arctic countries have developed for the application of an ecosystembased approach to oceans management. By way of reviewing how countries actually put to use such concepts and practices, lessons can be drawn on how to effectively do ecosystem-based oceans management. The project addresses both the use and conservation aspects of sustainable development. Two sets of questions here address the substance and process of putting ecosystem-based oceans management to work, respectively: which practices and approaches have proved useful in moving towards effective protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment? What are the main obstacles, and what are the important success elements in moving towards ecosystem-based oceans management? The issue of practices and approaches in ecosystem-based oceans management is addressed on the basis of descriptions provided by the Arctic countries on how they are actually doing this. Among the elements considered are how countries define ecosystem-based oceans management, the types of objectives that are formulated, the choice of policy instruments and organization of the work, for example in terms of how stakeholders are consulted and the geographical context for ecosystem-based oceans management, including existing transboundary agreements relevant to the management of Arctic marine ecosystems. The question of obstacles and success elements is considered by asking the Arctic countries to describe their experiences in applying an ecosystem-based approach to oceans management. Important elements here include the process aspects of interagency cooperation and the organization of that, the organization and use of science, and stakeholder involvement, as well as the actual content of ecosystem-based oceans management, such as institutions for ecosystem-based oceans management, legislation and policy tools, geographical approaches, including LMEs, and biodiversity considerations. The main emphasis of the project is on the analytical aspects of these issues, so that actions can be based on lessons learnt and possible best practices identified. The project build on previous assessments and work under the Arctic Council, and will neither venture into new studies of the Arctic marine environment, nor address issues relating to jurisdictions and rights to resources.