News in Greenland.

• Historical agreement on fisheries in the Arctic

The agreement is historic because the ten countries have solved a problem before it has arisen. The agreement will not close future fishing in the Arctic, but will prevent unregulated predatory fishery in one of the world's last unspoilt seas.

Negotiations on a fisheries agreement in the Arctic have just been completed. Ten major fishing nations, namely the Arctic Coastal Greenland (the Kingdom of Denmark for the Faroe Islands and Greenland), Canada, the United States, Russia and Norway together with Iceland, the EU, South Korea, Japan and China have agreed on an agreement to prevent unregulated fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean.

Every year, the ice cover in the Arctic Ocean becomes smaller and it opens up for the possibility of fishing in the Arctic International Sea Area, also known as the Arctic High Sea.

There is not yet any commercial fishing in the area. The science of marine resources in the area is very limited, but researchers agree that there will be no fish stocks in the Arctic highland in the near future. Climate change and consequent warming in the Arctic, however, is strong, and therefore the agreement is necessary to be at the forefront of developments.

The agreement is historic because the world community has for the first time agreed to use the precautionary principle and introduce rules before a fishing has commenced and before any irreparable damage has been caused to the marine resources in the area.

'I am very pleased that the five Arctic coastal states and the five other countries managed to agree on an agreement. Negotiations have been difficult, but it is our common interest that we take good care of fishery resources in the Arctic. I am pleased that the agreement takes into account the special interests of the Arctic coastal States in our neighboring area, the central Arctic Ocean. I am particularly pleased that the agreement recognizes indigenous and local people and their knowledge about the ecosystems in the Arctic, "says Karl-Kristian Kruse, Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries and Catch.

Under the agreement, the countries undertake not to fish in the area until we know more about the fish stocks. Therefore, the agreement also includes the launch of international scientific cooperation, which will meet regularly in the future. The agreement recognizes the special knowledge of Arctic indigenous peoples about marine ecosystems.

The agreement is not a conservation in the future of the Arctic high seas; Instead, the basic idea is that fishing is not open until we have enough knowledge and we have set the necessary rules for a sustainable approach to work.

The agreement is legally binding and will therefore be a strong sign of future development in the Arctic.

For Greenland, this agreement is an important signal that we take a special responsibility as a coastal state to ensure a prudent and sustainable approach to the vulnerable Arctic sea areas that are opening up and that we have also ensured that this agreement also commits other major fishing nations.
The agreement must be signed by ministers from the ten countries in 2018, and Greenland has invited to have the ceremony in Greenland.
Negotiations were finalized in Washington, DC, USA on 30 November 2017. This was the sixth round of negotiations. Negotiations have taken place at the official level. Greenland was the negotiator of the delegation of the Kingdom of Denmark at the Ministry of Fisheries and Catch. The delegation of the Kingdom also includes ICC Greenland, Greenland Representation in Washington DC, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Faroese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.