Canada and Arctic coastal countries will join non-Arctic nations on Monday to discuss expanding a fishing ban in waters at the top of the world.

Canada joins fishing ban talks for central Arctic Ocean

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Leeanna McLean

Digital Reporter

Sunday, November 29, 2015, 7:37 PM - Canada and Arctic coastal countries will join non-Arctic nations on Monday to discuss extending a fishing ban in waters at the top of the world.

The moratorium was collectively agreed upon by Canada, the U.S., Norway, Denmark and Russia last July.

"Canada has committed to work co-operatively with Arctic Ocean coastal states on fisheries science research in the Arctic area, and to work to prevent commercial fishing in the high seas of the central Arctic Ocean until appropriate fisheries management measures are put in place to conserve stocks and their ecosystems," according to a statement from Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The discussion will take place in Washington D.C. China, Korea, Japan, Iceland and the European Union are expected to join the table.

"Those non-Arctic countries include the largest modern fishing nations," Scott Highleyman, representative of the environmental arm of the Pew Charitable Trusts and member of the U.S. delegation told CP. Their fishing fleets have the capacity to roam all over the world, including this part of the Arctic. To me, this is one of those little pivot points. Are (the non-Arctic states) going to take the slow-go approach hammered out by the Arctic countries? Or are they going to come with an aggressive approach to accelerate commercial fishing in the area?"

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The fishing ban exists in the central Arctic Ocean, which is out of range from territorial limits of any country. While commercial fishing does not occur in this area, climate change opens up the possibility.

Recently, there has been no ice cover in the summer for about 40 per cent of the central Arctic Ocean, according to The Canadian Press.

Highleyman is optimistic that talks will be positive.

Scientists know little of fish activity in the High Arctic and whether or not climate change is the reason behind why fish may be migrating to the area.

"What we really need is an ecological baseline," Highleyman told The Canadian Press.

Highleyman predicts an agreement could be reached by the end of 2016 if things go smoothly.

"No one was talking about this 10 years ago. It's an indication of how fast climate change is changing the Arctic."

Source: The Canadian Press

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