Arctic sovereignty issue was kicked up a few degrees this week with news that Denmark and Norway are increasing their Arctic military capabilities. Canada responded by moving to raise its profile in the North. It is said that US has proposed ban on fishing in a part of the Beaufort Sea claimed by both countries – a move that could force Ottawa to back up its aggressive stand on Arctic sovereignty or risk weakening its position in future disputes over who’s in charge in the North.
It is told that a fisheries management plan prepared for the Alaska government proposes legislation that would ban commercial fishing in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas – an area that includes a wedge-shaped portion of the Arctic Ocean claimed by both Canada and the United States. The proposed law is said to come into effect this fall.
The proposed law is under review by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, said Melanie Brown, fishery program specialist with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau. It is said that Canadian law permits fishing close to shore in the area, but requires anyone wanting to set up a commercial fishery to submit an application, subject to a multiyear evaluation, outlining the proposal and its viability.
Now the situation heated up as part of the disputed area belongs to the Inuvialuit of Canada’s Western Arctic under a 25-year-old land-claim settlement. While both countries play down the possibility of a dispute arising from Alaska’s proposed fisheries legislation, neither is willing to compromise on its claim.
