Fifth Meeting Of Scientific Experts On Fish Stocks In The Central Arctic Ocean

Arctic cod seek refuge on an ice ledge in the Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean. Photo by Elizabeth Siddon, NOAA Fisheries.

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UPDATE:

In May 2019, the Signatories to the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (Agreement) established a Provisional Scientific Coordinating Group (PSCG) to further prepare for the implementation of the Agreement. The PSCG was established on an interim basis to provide scientific support and advice to the Signatories on matters related to the implementation of the Agreement, to develop reports and advice for the biennial Meetings of the Signatories, and to provide support for the scientific work called for under the Agreement. The PSCG met for the first time, hosted by the European Union, at the European Commission Joint Research Centre facilities in Ispra, Italy, from 11-13 February 2020.

Download the Final Report of the First PSCG Meeting (released July 2020)

• Download the Fifth Fish Stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean Report (released April 2018)
• Historic Agreement on Arctic High Seas Fishing November 30, 2017; Chair's Statement
• Read the Chairs’ Statement from the 5th Meeting (Issued November 24, 2017)

Scientific experts on fish stocks in the central Arctic Ocean from the Kingdom of Norway, the United States of America, Canada, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Iceland, the European Union, and the international scientific organizations ICES and PICES, met October 24–26, 2017, in Ottawa, Canada, to develop information supporting diplomatic negotiations to prevent unregulated commercial fishing on the High Seas of the central Arctic Ocean. The diplomatic negotiations are building on the precedent of the 2015 Oslo Accord in which the five nations with waters adjacent to the central Arctic Ocean agreed to interim measures to prevent commercial fishing in the High Seas. The 5th Meeting of Scientific Experts on Fish Stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean built on discussions and products of four prior scientific meetings that were requested by the diplomatic process. The websites for the 3rd Meeting of Scientific Experts on Fish Stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean (April 2015) and 4th Meeting of Scientific Experts on Fish Stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean (September 2016) host the reports for meetings one through four and additional background information, including presentations made at the meetings and national reports on Arctic research activities.

The terms of reference for the fifth meeting resulted from discussions among the 10 Parties in Tórshavn, The Faroe Islands, from November 29–December 1, 2016. The November/December 2016 meeting of the 10 Parties reaffirmed their commitment to prevent unregulated commercial High Seas fishing in the central Arctic Ocean, as well as a commitment to promote the conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and to safeguard healthy marine ecosystems in the central Arctic Ocean. The Chairperson’s statement from the Tórshavn meeting indicates the need for future scientific collaboration on this topic.

Meeting participants 5th Meeting of Arctic Fish Stocks, October 24 – 26, 2017, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Additional Fish Stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean Workshops

• Fourth Meeting of Arctic Fish Stocks, September 2016
• Third Meeting of Arctic Fish Stocks, April 2015