International Law and Governance of Arctic Marine Resources

The governance of Arctic marine resources is underpinned by a complex web of international legal instruments, regional agreements and cooperative institutions. At the apex lies the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which defines coastal-state rights over territorial sea, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. Building upon UNCLOS, the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code sets safety and environmental standards for shipping in polar waters. The Arctic Council, comprised of eight Arctic states and six indigenous Permanent Participants, provides a forum for non-binding cooperation on environmental protection, pollution prevention and sustainable resource use. Complementary regional bodies, such as the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization, administer fisheries management through precautionary catch limits, by-catch rules and vessel-monitoring systems. Dispute settlement under UNCLOS and bilateral treaties has been tested in contested areas such as the Svalbard Fisheries Protection Zone. Climate-driven declines in sea ice are opening new shipping corridors and encouraging interest in hydrocarbon exploration, fisheries expansion and seabed mining. This dynamic environment has prompted calls for marine protected areas, strategic environmental assessments and strengthened indigenous rights mechanisms. The interplay of global law, regional arrangements and local stakeholder engagement shapes a governance regime that must reconcile ecological integrity, indigenous livelihoods and geopolitical interests in a rapidly changing ocean.

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International Law and Governance of Arctic Marine Resources publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in international law and governance of arctic marine resources across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): A comprehensive treaty defining coastal-state maritime zones, rights and obligations related to navigation, resource exploitation and environmental protection.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): A maritime area extending up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal baseline, within which a state has sovereign rights for resource exploration and use.

Polar Code: An International Maritime Organization instrument setting mandatory safety and environmental standards for shipping in polar regions.

Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO): An intergovernmental body established by treaty to conserve and manage fish stocks in a specific region, often through catch limits and compliance schemes.

Marine Protected Area (MPA): A geographically defined marine space where human activities are regulated to achieve long-term conservation of ecosystems and resources.

References

1. WTO must complete an ambitious fisheries subsidies agreement. npj Ocean Sustainability (2024).
2. The North Sea and Svalbard Fisheries Management Regimes in the Context of Brexit: Divergence and Implications. Fishes (2022).
3. Waste Management on Fishing Vessels and in Fishing Harbors in the Barents Sea: Gaps in Law, Implementation and Practice. Ocean Development & International Law (2022).