Changing Arctic Research Paper

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Final Paper: Reconstruction of The Changing Arctic Brett Wegleitner Concordia College The 21st century has been one of many changes in both the environment and how nations will forever change the Arctic, as it is now perceived. The arctic is one of the most fragile places on Earth as it holds the key to many new resources that have barely been touched and also a huge commodity for countries that would like to exploit the Arctic waters as new shipping lanes emerge due to global climate change. Climate change has been the largest factor in the changing Arctic as the ice is retreating further and allowing for more ships to have access and for corporations to begin extracting hydrocarbons to be shipped all over the world as we become more…show more content…
The Arctic is becoming a high commodity area for shipping and transport since it will greatly reduce trans-ocean routes for a more economical and environmental aspect. The Arctic Council says, “Currently the main driving force for shipping trough the Arctic Sea is transport of oil or gas from Arctic Russia. The discussion on Trans-Arctic shipping evolves, however, also around the issues of global warming, Greenhouse Gas emission restrictions, changes in the geopolitical landscape, possible exploitation of fossil fuel fields in the Arctic and sustainable development in the Arctic” (Shipping Portal). With of the extraction of oil and gas through the Artic it provides the Arctic nations with a rare opportunity to form the future of shipping in the north and hopefully reduce the chances of environmental risks in an area prone to devastation. Talking as a class in the Arctic Council simulation, I truly believe that there needs to be a subgroup of all eight nations working together to ensure ships are obeying the laws of the north and if not are subject to consequences and possible Arctic shipping termination. In the book Who Owns The Arctic by Michael Byers, he talks a lot about the Northwest Passage in chapter five and how the Canadian government plans to control its waters with the reduction of sea ice. Also he mentions that Canada need to…show more content…
The Arctic as most know is known for its fisherman and whalers, whom in the past overfished and whaling for the uses of oil, but cause a major downfall in the number of Arctic marine life. AS mentioned before with the climate change there will a larger number of fishing and whaling vessels due to the decrease of sea ice and the opening of Arctic waters that have never been accessible. Looking at the Arctic portal I found a list of restrictions that would be major to the fishing industry; 1. Restrictions on catch and effort, for instance by setting the total allowable catch (TAC) and allocating the TAC by means of national quotas. 
2. Minimum size limits for target species.
3. Maximum by-catch limits, for instance in terms of the number of individuals (e.g. in relation to marine turtles and marine mammals) or as a percentage of the target catch.
4. Technical measures, for instance minimum mesh sizes, by-catch mitigation techniques (e.g. turtle excluder devices, bird-scaring lines).
5. Spatial measures (e.g. closed areas) aimed at avoiding catch of target species (e.g. nursing and spawning areas) or non-target species (e.g. important feedings areas) or avoiding impact on sensitive habitat (e.g. cold water coral reefs). As mentioned in the ministerial meeting, I proposed that the Arctic nations form altogether a subgroup that

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