The Arctic

Since 1992, WWF has worked in the Arctic to develop innovative solutions that are as adaptive and resilient as nature itself. We bring together local communities, industries, governments, scientific institutions and other conservation organizations to conserve this vital region.

Wildlife

Through our Arctic Bridge initiative, WWF seeks to build resilient wildlife populations – mainly for polar bears and walrus – in the Russian and U.S. Arctic regions. To do so, we lend our expertise to scientists and local communities, support field research and monitoring by biologists and local communities (e.g., a multi-year mark-and-recapture study in the Chukchi Sea), help establish coastal protected areas, advocate for the implementation of US-Russia environmental agreements, and help plan for trans-boundary efforts in habitat protection. We also provide guidance to community leaders who volunteer to help reduce human-polar bear conflicts in Chukotka, Russia. Their “Umky” patrols  (“Umky” is the Chukchi word for polar bear) are a model for other communities in the Russian Arctic and Alaska.

Oil and Gas

As Arctic oceans undergo dramatic transformation caused by climate change, the rush for finite resources – particularly oil and gas – and the increase of ship traffic present risks to vulnerable Arctic ecosystems and communities. Our main approach for addressing these issues is to advocate for changes in federal regulations governing oil spill prevention, spill response and mitigation in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Our team also collaborates with numerous entities to promote better science, no-go zones and spill prevention practices. One of the most powerful coalitions we are involved in is the Fish Basket coalition, focused specifically on keeping Bristol Bay, Alaska oil-free. Reports produced by WWF, such as “Not So Fast: US Ill-Prepared for Arctic Offshore Development” help educate decision-makers about the challenges and shortfalls in oil spill clean-up in the Arctic marine conditions. We also serve on the advisory panel tasked with implementing the risk assessment for the Aleutian Islands.

Seafood

WWF seeks to conserve and build resilient marine and coastal habitats while securing sustainable fisheries and fishing families, mainly in the U.S. and Russia. We use a six-pronged approach:

• Oil and gas development: WWF promotes permanent protection of Bristol Bay and the western Kamchatka Shelf, the “fish baskets” of America and Russia, respectively. Also, WWF promotes the establishment of a Marine Fisheries Protection Zone in the Sea of Okhotsk on the West Kamchatka Shelf of Russia to protect critical salmon habitat from planned oil and gas development.
• Ocean acidification: We support research and advocacy to address ocean acidification, aiming to build national support for protecting the food chain in rich Arctic waters.
• Bycatch: We advocate for acceptable limits on the amount of Chinook salmon and chum salmon captured by the U.S. Bering Sea Pollack fishery.
• Governance and management: In Kamchatka, WWF advocates for a fisheries management system that is both transparent and allows for participation of multiple stakeholders who depend on salmon, but who seldom have a voice in the fisheries management system.
• Market-incentives: WWF continues to promote market incentives to the Russian salmon fishing industry, particularly the Marine Stewardship Council certification system.
• Enforcement: WWF is pursuing several routes to resolve the issue of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in the Russian Far East, especially in Kamchatka’s salmon fisheries. Our work includes anti-poaching activities, traceability studies and mass media campaigns.