Institute of Social and Economic Research/University of Alaska
Abstract
Due to their unique characteristics, the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas have escaped many, though not all, of the problems encountered in more temperate seas. For most of the 20th century, multi-year sea ice provided a barrier to significant industrial activity in the Arctic Ocean. Even though the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas have not been managed seas, per se, the area has been governed under a patchwork of policy regimes relating to regional Outer Continental Shelf land claims, marine mammal conservation, environmental pollution, coastal development and eventually pan-Arctic governance through the Arctic Council. As the open water period available to industrial use increases, new users are expected to follow. As in other parts of the United States, many human uses of the Alaskan marine environment are governed by a patchwork of rules stemming from various sectors of the federal, state, and local governments. Significant and emerging challenges include: climate change and the restructuring of seasonal sea ice habitats, ocean acidification, growing marine traffic and the prevention of oil spills in a challenging operating environment. Here we explore how innovations in ocean governance incorporating principles of ecosystem-based management, participatory democracy and complex systems can protect ocean resources and mitigate conflict.Ye
