ABSTRACT
With the entry into force of the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (CAOF Agreement) almost 40 years to the day from the entry into force of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention), high-seas fisheries in both polar regions are now subject to internationally agreed treaty regimes. While the physical characteristics of the fishery resources and the regimes themselves differ markedly at both poles, both regimes are clearly aimed at ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources through the application of precautionary, ecosystem-based management. Examination of the commonalities and differences between the regimes provides valuable insights into the extent to which they either achieve or can be expected to achieve their objectives and what lessons can be learned from the implementation of the CAMLR Convention for the future implementation of the CAOF Agreement.
