Conflict Avoidance Agreements For Arviq (Bowhead Whales) Of The Arctic

Decreasing ice cover,¹ declining global biodiversity,² and socio-economic issues³ are conspiring to increase the risk of conflict between wildlife and industry around the world and specifically in the Arctic. However, a relatively new form of agreement⁴ called a Conflict Avoidance Agreement⁵ is being used to avoid or reduce the likelihood of conflict between oil and gas companies and subsistence Bowhead Whale hunters in Alaska. The success of their use in this remote region suggests that this could be a tool for consideration in efforts to reduce impacts on marine (or other) wildlife elsewhere.  Recent numerous collisions with fatal results between marine vessels and Right Whales on the eastern seaboard of North America provides evidence that new tools are needed.  Perhaps the experience in Alaska (described below) could be put to use in regions like the St. Lawrence estuary or elsewhere.