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With the prospect of fisheries developing in the Central Arctic Ocean as climate changes and summer sea ice retreats, an effective international agreement is under diplomatic discussion to foster a successful fisheries management regime. This paper explores the implications of the Central Bering Sea experience for a fisheries agreement covering the Central Arctic Ocean. The 1980s and early 1990s witnessed the depletion of pollock resources from overfishing in the Central Bering Sea, a high seas area of the sub-Arctic. With joint efforts from coastal states and distant-water fishing states, the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea was signed, facilitating the involvement of both groups in the establishment of a management regime and the implementation of management measures. Specifically, the paper considers the role of the precautionary approach, cooperation between coastal states and distant-water fishing states, timely establishment of a Regional Fisheries Management Organization, dynamic fisheries management, and scientific research and investigation. The analysis indicates ways to address challenges and potentially conflicting interests in the Central Arctic Ocean fisheries management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-environment connections are the subject of much study, and the details of those connections are crucial factors in effective environmental management. In a large, interdisciplinary study of the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem involving disciplines from physical oceanography to anthropology, one of the research teams examined commercial fisheries and another looked at subsistence harvests by Alaska Natives. Commercial fisheries and subsistence harvests are extensive, demonstrating strong connections between the ecosystem and the humans who use it. At the same time, however, both research teams concluded that the influence of ecosystem conditions on the outcomes of human activities was weaker than anticipated. Likely explanations of this apparently loose coupling include the ability of fishers and hunters to adjust to variable conditions, and the role of social systems and management in moderating the direct effects of changes in the ecosystem. We propose a new conceptual model for future studies that incorporates a greater range of social factors and their dynamics, in addition to similarly detailed examinations of the ecosystem itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various topics in the issue including sea ice observation framework, data management approaches to support the international research project Bering Sea Sub-Network and importance of community and culture for documenting knowledge.

Abstract: We documented local and traditional knowledge (LTK) about the Bering Sea ecosystem through interviews with Alaska Native elders, hunters, and fishers in the coastal communities of Akutan, St. Paul, Togiak, Emmonak, and Savoonga. Their observations describe a complex and changing ecosystem, with indications of divergent impacts of change in the south (many species in decline) and the north (a productive ecosystem). Observed changes in species abundance suggest that the marginal zone of maximum (March) sea-ice extent is experiencing the most rapid directional changes, including shifts in distribution of ice-associated species such as bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus). Causes of declines in other species such as northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and murres (Uria spp.) are harder to identify, and seabird abundance trends appear to vary greatly with location. Connections between the LTK findings and other research under the North Pacific Research Board and National Science Foundation's Bering Sea Project were modest due to mismatches in temporal and spatial scales of reference and the fact that LTK observations were not initially made with scientific relevance in mind. We found, however, the overall observations to be consistent with the emerging picture of high spatial variability in the Bering Sea ecosystem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Alaska Native coastal communities interact with the marine environment in many ways, especially through the harvest of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. The spatial characteristics of this interaction are often depicted in terms of subsistence use areas: the places where harvests and associated travel occur. Another way to consider the interaction is to examine the areas where harvested species range during their lifecycle or annual migratory path. In this paper, we compare seasonal subsistence use areas, lifetime subsistence use areas, and “calorie-sheds,” or the area over which harvested species range. Each perspective offers useful information concerning not only the nature of human–environment interactions but also the scope for potential conflict with other human activity and the means by which such conflicts could be reduced, avoided, or otherwise addressed. Seasonal subsistence use areas can be used to manage short-term activities, such as seasonal vessel traffic during community re-supply. Lifetime subsistence use areas indicate the area required to allow hunters and fishers the flexibility to adjust to interannual variability and perhaps to adapt to a changing environment. Calorie-sheds indicate the areas about which a community may be concerned due to potential impacts on the species they harvest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]