Five Nations Sign Agreement to Bar Fishing in the Arctic

The United States, Canada, Russia, Denmark, and Norway entered into an agreement last Thursday to bar commercial fishing in the Arctic, until such a time that internationally accepted standards for the practice are in place. This agreement is seen as a preventative measure since the central Arctic is believed to hold few commercial fish stocks. As the ice sheets melt though, migrating fish could lure commercial operations further north before scientists have the chance to catalog the area’s marine resources. This agreement also seeks to gain commitments from other major fishing nations such as China and Spain.

Read more at Reuters.