As we head into the 4th of July holiday weekend in the US, we wanted to share two new publications that highlight the challenges of polar ocean governance amidst the dual pressures of climate change and geopolitical competition. In Polar Points No. 31, Connor Sakati calls for the modernization of Alaska’s fisheries regulation as rising sea temperatures impact fish populations around the region. In our second publication, authors Mathieu Boulègue and Klaus Dodds provide perspective on geopolitical tensions on the opposite side of the world in their piece on the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the future of Antarctic diplomacy.
No. 31 | Modernizing Alaskan Fisheries Regulation for a Changing, Warming Ocean
Alaska's salmon fisheries are essential to the economy, culture, and sustenance, yet face widespread collapses and emergency closures across the state. Despite record harvests in some outlier fisheries like Bristol Bay, Alaska's regulatory framework struggles to adapt to the challenges posed by warming high-latitude waters, revealing critical gaps in management strategies.
No. 32 | Antarctic Diplomacy in a BRICS+ World
In the wake of the 46th ATCM in Kochi, it is imperative to further protect Antarctica’s vulnerable ecosystems and avoid a situation in which competitive geopolitical dynamics take good, scientifically-informed governance hostage. By reintroducing the core values of the ATS, the recently updated US National Security Memorandum on the Antarctic region represents a welcome and necessary step forward in this direction.