《预防中北冰洋不管制公海渔业协定》

2017年11月30日，在华盛顿举行的第六轮北冰洋公海渔业谈判会议上，中国、美国、俄罗斯、加拿大、丹麦、挪威、冰岛、日本、韩国、欧盟十方正式通过了《预防中北冰洋不管制公海渔业协定》（《协定》），《协定》旨在对被美、俄、加、丹、挪五国渔业管辖区域环绕的北冰洋中部公海海域的渔业资源进行规管。《协定》的达成是北极域内外国家合作解决跨区域问题的成功实践。该协定以中文、英文、法文和俄文写成单一正本，每种文字之文本具有同等效力。现将中文和英文文本刊出，供交流学习。

北冰洋中部公海示意图

预防中北冰洋不管制公海渔业协定

本协定缔约各方，

认识到直到最近冰层仍常年覆盖中北冰洋公海区域，以致不可能在这些水域开展捕鱼活动，但近年来该区域的冰层覆盖有所减少；

承认尽管中北冰洋的生态系统相对而言迄未受到人类活动的直接影响，但气候变化和其他现象正使这些生态系统发生变化，而且这些变化带来的影响并未得到良好认知；

认识到健康、可持续的海洋生态系统和渔业对食品和营养的关键性作用；

认识到中北冰洋沿海国在养护和可持续管理中北冰洋鱼类种群方面的特殊责任和特殊利益；

注意到中北冰洋沿海国在此方面的倡议，其体现在2015年7月16日签署的《关于在中北冰洋预防不管制公海捕鱼宣言》之中；

忆及已适用于中北冰洋公海区域的、关于海洋渔业的条约和其他国际文书的原则和规定，包括载于下列国际文书之中者：

1982年12月10日《联合国海洋法公约》（《公约》）；

1995年8月4日《执行1982年12月10日<联合国海洋法公约>有关养护和管理跨界鱼类种群和高度洄游鱼类种群的规定的协定》（1995年《协定》）；和

1995年《负责任渔业行为守则》以及联合国粮农组织通过的其他相关文书；

强调确保在缔约方和东北大西洋渔业委员会——该委员会有权在中北冰洋的部分公海海域制订养护和管理措施——之间，以及在缔约方和为渔业管理之目的而依国际法建立与运作的其他相关机制和相关国际机构与项目之间开展合作与协调的重要性；

相信中北冰洋公海区域的商业捕鱼在近期仍不可行，因此在当前情况下为中北冰洋公海区域建立任何新的区域或分区域渔业管理组织或安排的条件尚不成熟；

希望遵循预防性做法，预防在中北冰洋公海区域出现不管制捕鱼，并定期审查追加养护和管理措施的必要性；

忆及2007年《联合国土著人民权利宣言》；

认识到北极居民，包括北极土著人民，在长期养护和可持续利用海洋生物资源以及保护北冰洋健康海洋生态系统方面的利益，强调北极居民及其社区参与的重要性；并

希望促进利用关于北冰洋海洋生物资源以及其所处生态系统的科学知识和土著与当地知识，这些知识是中北冰洋公海区域渔业养护和管理的基础；

经协议如下：

第一条 用语

为本协定的目的：

(a) “协定区域”系指由加拿大、丹麦王国格陵兰、挪威王国、俄罗斯联邦和美利坚合众国行使渔业管辖权的水域所包围的中北冰洋单一公海区域；

(b) “鱼类”系指鱼类物种、软体动物和甲壳动物，但《公约》第七十七条所规定的定居种除外；

(c) “捕鱼”系指搜寻、吸引、定位、捕获、取得或收获鱼类的活动，或从事可以合理预期对鱼类进行吸引、定位、捕获、取得或收获的任何活动；

(d) “商业捕鱼”系指为商业目的的捕鱼；

(e) “试探性捕鱼”系指为评估未来商业渔业的可持续性和可行性提供与此类渔业相关的科学数据之目的而进行的捕鱼；

(f) “船舶”系指用于、装备用于或意图用于捕鱼的任何船舶。

第二条 本协定的目标

本协定的目标是通过适用预防性养护和管理措施来预防中北冰洋公海区域的不管制捕鱼，这些措施是保护健康海洋生态系统和确保鱼类种群的养护和可持续利用的长期战略的一部分。

第三条 关于捕鱼的临时养护和管理措施

1. 各缔约方应仅依照以下规则，批准有权悬挂其旗帜的船舶在本协定区域开展商业捕鱼：

（a）由一个或多个已经成立或可能成立的、依国际法运作并按照公认国际标准管理此类捕鱼的区域或分区域渔业管理组织或安排所通过的、旨在对鱼类种群进行可持续管理的养护和管理措施；或

（b）由缔约方根据第五条第1款（c）项（ii）目可能制定的临时养护和管理措施。

2. 鼓励缔约方在根据第四条制定的联合科学研究和监测计划的框架下以及按照各自的国家科学计划开展科学研究。

3. 缔约方只能根据缔约方在第五条第1款（d）项基础上制定的养护和管理措施，批准有权悬挂其旗帜的船舶在协定区域进行试探性捕鱼。

4. 缔约方应确保其在协定区域涉及捕获鱼类的科学研究活动不妨碍预防不管制商业和试探性捕鱼以及保护健康海洋生态系统。鼓励缔约方相互通报其批准此类科学研究活动的计划。

5. 缔约方应确保遵守依照本条制定的临时措施，以及根据第五条第1款（c）项可能制定的任何追加的或不同的临时措施。

6. 在符合1995年《协定》第七条的情况下，缔约国中的沿海国和其他缔约方应开展合作，确保针对在中北冰洋国家管辖范围以内和以外区域出现的鱼类种群的养护和管理措施互不抵触，以确保整体养护和管理这些种群。

7. 除上述第4款规定外，本协定的任何内容不得被解释为限制《公约》所体现的缔约方对于海洋科学研究的权利。

第四条 联合科学研究和监测计划

1. 缔约方应便利在科学活动中的合作，旨在增进关于中北冰洋海洋生物资源以及这些资源所处海洋生态系统的认知。

2. 缔约方同意，在本协定生效后两年内，制定联合科学研究和监测计划，旨在提高对协定区域生态系统的认知，特别是确定目前或未来可能出现在协定区域的鱼类种群能否在可持续的基础上被捕捞以及这些渔业对协定区域生态系统的可能影响。

3. 缔约方应指导联合科学研究和监测计划的发展、协调和执行。

4. 缔约方应确保联合科学研究和监测计划顾及相关科学与技术组织、机构和计划的工作，以及土著与当地知识。

5. 作为联合科学研究和监测计划的一部分，缔约方应在本协定生效后两年内通过一项数据共享协议，并应按照该协议直接或通过相关科学与技术组织、机构和项目分享有关数据。

6. 缔约方应至少每两年并且在根据第五条召开缔约方会议至少两个月前，通过面对面或其他形式召开联合科学会议，以提交各自研究结果、审查可获得的最佳科学信息并及时向缔约方会议提出科学建议。缔约方应在本协定生效后两年内通过联合科学会议的职责范围和其他运作程序。

第五条 审查和进一步执行

1. 缔约方应每两年或依其决定更频繁地召开会议。会议期间，除其他外，缔约方应：

（a）审查本协定的执行情况，并在适当的时候根据第十三条第2款考虑与本协定期限相关的任何问题；

（b）审查来自联合科学研究和监测计划、国家科学计划以及包括土著与当地知识在内的任何其他相关来源的所有可获得的科学信息；

（c）基于来自联合科学研究和监测计划、国家科学计划和其他相关来源的科学信息，同时顾及包括预防性做法和捕鱼对生态环境的潜在不利影响在内的相关渔业管理和生态系统因素，特别考虑协定区域鱼类的分布、洄游和丰度是否能支持可持续的商业渔业，并在此基础上决定：

（i）是否启动谈判，为管理协定区域的捕鱼活动建立一个或多个新的区域或分区域渔业管理组织或安排；和

（ii）一旦根据上述第（i）目启动谈判，并且缔约方已经商定确保鱼类种群可持续性的机制，是否为协定区域的这些种群制定追加的或不同的临时养护和管理措施。

（d）在本协定生效后三年内，针对协定区域的试探性捕鱼制定养护和管理措施。缔约方可不时修订这些措施。除其他外，这些措施应规定：

（i）试探性捕鱼不应损害本协定的目标；

（ii）试探性捕鱼的期限、范围和规模应有所限制，以尽量减少对鱼类种群和生态系统的影响，并应符合根据第四条第5款通过的数据共享协议规定的标准化要求；

（iii）一缔约方仅可在可靠的科学研究基础上，并且在符合联合科学研究和监测计划以及其国家科学计划的情形下，批准进行试探性捕鱼；

（iv）一缔约方仅可在已向其他缔约方通知其试探性捕鱼计划并且已向其他缔约方提供对这些计划发表评论的机会之后，批准进行试探性捕鱼；和

（v）一缔约方必须充分监督其所批准的任何试探性捕鱼，并向其他缔约方报告此类捕鱼的结果。

2. 为促进本协定执行，包括与之相关的、根据第四条开展的联合科学研究和监测计划以及其他活动，缔约方可建立分委员会或类似机构，包括北极土著人民在内的北极社区代表均可参加。

第六条 决策

1. 缔约方关于程序性事项的决定应由投赞成票或反对票的缔约方以简单多数的方式作出。

2. 缔约方关于实质性事项的决定应以协商一致的方式作出。为本协定的目的，“协商一致”系指在决定作出时未提出任何正式反对意见。

3. 如果任一缔约方认为一项问题是实质性的，则该问题应被视为是实质性的。

第七条 争端解决

1995年《协定》第八部分关于争端解决的规定比照适用于缔约方之间有关本协定的解释或适用的任何争端，不论其是否是1995年《协定》的缔约方。

第八条 非缔约方

1. 缔约方应鼓励本协定非缔约方采取与本协定规定一致的措施。

2. 缔约方应采取与国际法相一致的措施，制止有权悬挂非缔约方旗帜的船舶从事有损本协定有效执行的活动。

第九条 签字

1. 本协定应在[地点]从[日期] 起，向加拿大、中华人民共和国、丹麦王国法罗群岛和格陵兰、冰岛、日本、大韩民国、挪威王国、俄罗斯联邦、美利坚合众国和欧洲联盟开放签字，并自该日起持续开放12个月供签字。

2. 对于本协定的签字方，本协定应持续开放以供随时批准、接受或核准。

第十条 加入

1.对于第九条第1款所列国家中未签署本协定者，以及欧洲联盟如其未签署本协定，本协定应保持开放以供随时加入。

2. 本协定生效后，缔约方可邀请其他真正感兴趣的国家加入本协定。

第十一条 生效

1. 本协定应自保管者收到第九条第1款所列国家和欧洲联盟批准、接受、核准或加入本协定的所有文书之日起30天后生效。

2. 本协定生效后，对于根据第十条第2款受邀加入并且已交存加入文书的国家，本协定应自该文书交存之日起30天后生效。

第十二条 退出

一缔约方可随时通过外交途径向保管者发出书面退出通知退出本协定。该书面通知应载明退出的有效日期，该有效日期应至少在通知之日起的六个月后。退出本协定不影响该协定在剩余缔约方间适用或退出的缔约方按照国际法而无须基于本协定即应担负的履行本协定所载任何义务的责任。

第十三条 本协定的期限

1. 本协定应在自生效之日起16年的初始期限内持续有效。

2. 在上述第1款规定的初始期限届满后，本协定应以五年为一个延长期连续有效，除非任一缔约方：

（a）在初始期限或此后任一延长期届满前的最后一次缔约方会议上对本协定延期提出正式反对；或

（b）不迟于各期限届满前六个月以书面形式向保管者对延期提出正式反对。

3. 缔约方应在本协定和任何一个为管理协定区域内捕鱼活动而建立新的区域或分区域渔业管理组织或安排的潜在的新协定之间规定有效过渡办法，以保护健康的海洋生态系统并确保协定区域鱼类种群的养护和可持续利用。

第十四条 与其他协定的关系

1. 缔约方认识到它们承担并将继续承担其在包括《公约》和1995年《协定》在内的国际法有关规定下的义务，并且认识到在履行这些义务方面继续开展合作的重要性，即使在本协定到期或终止时未能为管理协定区域内捕鱼活动就建立新的区域或分区域管理组织或安排达成任何协定。

2. 本协定中的任何部分不应妨害任一缔约方在国际协定下的权利和义务及其关于任何海洋法问题的立场，包括有关在北冰洋行使权利和管辖权的任何立场。

3. 本协定的任何部分不应妨害任一缔约方在《公约》或1995年《协定》所载有关国际法规定下的权利、管辖权和义务，包括为协定区域建立一个或多个新的区域或分区域渔业管理组织或安排提议开始谈判的权利。

4. 本协定不应改变任一缔约方根据与本协定相符合的其他协定而产生的权利和义务，但以不影响其他缔约方根据本协定享有其权利或履行其义务为限。本协定不应损害渔业管理方面任何现有国际机制的作用和职责，也不与之相冲突。

第十五条 保管者

1. 加拿大政府为本协定的保管者。

2. 批准、接受、核准或加入的文书应交存于保管者。

3. 保管者应将所有批准、接受、核准或加入文书的交存情况通知所有签字方和所有缔约方，并履行1969年《维也纳条约法公约》规定的其他职能。

201X年     月     日订于        ，用中文、英文、法文和俄文写成单一正本，每种文字之文本具有同等效力。

第六轮磋商代表合影留念

AGREEMENT TO PREVENT UNREGULATED HIGH SEAS FISHERIES

IN THE CENTRAL ARCTIC OCEAN

The Parties to this Agreement,

Recognizing that until recently ice has generally covered the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean on a year-round basis, which has made fishing in those waters impossible, but that ice coverage in that area has diminished in recent years;

Acknowledging that, while the central Arctic Ocean ecosystems have been relatively unexposed to human activities, those ecosystems are changing due to climate change and other phenomena, and that the effects of these changes are not well understood;

Recognizing the crucial role of healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems and fisheries for food and nutrition;

Recognizing the special responsibilities and special interests of the central Arctic Ocean coastal States in relation to the conservation and sustainable management of fish stocks in the central Arctic Ocean;

Noting in this regard the initiative of the central Arctic Ocean coastal States as reflected in the Declaration Concerning the Prevention of Unregulated High Seas Fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean signed on 16 July 2015;

Recalling the principles and provisions of treaties and other international instruments relating to marine fisheries that already apply to the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean, including those contained in:

the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 (“the Convention”);

the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks of 4 August 1995 (“the 1995 Agreement”); and

the 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and other relevant instruments adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations;

Underlining the importance of ensuring cooperation and coordination between the Parties and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, which has competence to adopt conservation and management measures in part of the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean, and other relevant mechanisms for fisheries management that are established and operated in accordance with international law, as well as with relevant international bodies and programs;

Believing that commercial fishing is unlikely to become viable in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean in the near future and that it is therefore premature under current circumstances to establish any additional regional or subregional fisheries management organizations or arrangements for the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean;

Desiring, consistent with the precautionary approach, to prevent the start of unregulated fishing in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean while keeping under regular review the need for additional conservation and management measures;

Recalling the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

Recognizing the interests of Arctic residents, including Arctic indigenous peoples, in the long-term conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and in healthy marine ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean and underlining the importance of involving them and their communities; and

Desiring to promote the use of both scientific knowledge and indigenous and local knowledge of the living marine resources of the Arctic Ocean and the ecosystems in which they occur as a basis for fisheries conservation and management in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Use of Terms

For the purposes of this Agreement:

(a) “Agreement Area” means the single high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean that is surrounded by waters within which Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark in respect of Greenland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States of America exercise fisheries jurisdiction;

(b) “fish” means species of fish, molluscs and crustaceans except those belonging to sedentary species as defined in Article 77 of the Convention;

(c) “fishing” means searching for, attracting, locating, catching, taking or harvesting fish or any activity that can reasonably be expected to result in the attracting, locating, catching, taking or harvesting of fish;

(d) “commercial fishing” means fishing for commercial purposes;

(e) “exploratory fishing” means fishing for the purpose of assessing the sustainability and feasibility of future commercial fisheries by contributing to scientific data relating to such fisheries;

(f) “vessel” means any vessel used for, equipped to be used for, or intended to be used for fishing.

Article 2

Objective of this Agreement

The objective of this Agreement is to prevent unregulated fishing in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean through the application of precautionary conservation and management measures as part of a long-term strategy to safeguard healthy marine ecosystems and to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks.

Article 3

Interim Conservation and Management Measures Concerning Fishing

1. Each Party shall authorize vessels entitled to fly its flag to conduct commercial fishing in the Agreement Area only pursuant to:

(a) conservation and management measures for the sustainable management of fish stocks adopted by one or more regional or subregional fisheries management organizations or arrangements, that have been or may be established and are operated in accordance with international law to manage such fishing in accordance with recognized international standards, or

(b) interim conservation and management measures that may be established by the Parties pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 1(c)(ii).

2. The Parties are encouraged to conduct scientific research under the framework of the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring established pursuant to Article 4 and under their respective national scientific programs. 

3. A Party may authorize vessels entitled to fly its flag to carry out exploratory fishing in the Agreement Area only pursuant to conservation and management measures established by the Parties on the basis of Article 5, paragraph 1(d).

4. The Parties shall ensure that their scientific research activities involving the catching of fish in the Agreement Area do not undermine the prevention of unregulated commercial and exploratory fishing and the protection of healthy marine ecosystems.  The Parties are encouraged to inform each other about their plans for authorizing such scientific research activities.

5. The Parties shall ensure compliance with the interim measures established by this Article, and with any additional or different interim measures they may establish pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 1(c).

6. Consistent with Article 7 of the 1995 Agreement, coastal States Parties and other Parties shall cooperate to ensure the compatibility of conservation and management measures for fish stocks that occur in areas both within and beyond national jurisdiction in the central Arctic Ocean in order to ensure conservation and management of those stocks in their entirety.

7. Other than as provided in paragraph 4 above, nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted to restrict the entitlements of Parties in relation to marine scientific research as reflected in the Convention.

Article 4

Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring

1. The Parties shall facilitate cooperation in scientific activities with the goal of increasing knowledge of the living marine resources of the central Arctic Ocean and the ecosystems in which they occur.  

2. The Parties agree to establish, within two years of the entry into force of this Agreement, a Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring with the aim of improving their understanding of the ecosystems of the Agreement Area and, in particular, of determining whether fish stocks might exist in the Agreement Area now or in the future that could be harvested on a sustainable basis and the possible impacts of such fisheries on the ecosystems of the Agreement Area.  

3. The Parties shall guide the development, coordination and implementation of the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring.

4. The Parties shall ensure that the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring takes into account the work of relevant scientific and technical organizations, bodies and programs, as well as indigenous and local knowledge.

5. As part of the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring, the Parties shall adopt, within two years of the entry into force of this Agreement, a data sharing protocol and shall share relevant data, directly or through relevant scientific and technical organizations, bodies and programs, in accordance with that protocol.  

6. The Parties shall hold joint scientific meetings, in person or otherwise, at least every two years and at least two months in advance of the meetings of the Parties that take place pursuant to Article 5 to present the results of their research, to review the best available scientific information, and to provide timely scientific advice to meetings of the Parties.  The Parties shall adopt, within two years of the entry into force of this Agreement, terms of reference and other procedures for the functioning of the joint scientific meetings.  

Article 5

Review and Further Implementation

1. The Parties shall meet every two years or more frequently if they so decide.  During their meetings, the Parties shall, inter alia:

(a) review implementation of this Agreement and, when appropriate, consider any issues relating to the duration of this Agreement in accordance with Article 13, paragraph 2;

(b) review all available scientific information developed through the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring, from the national scientific programs, and from any other relevant sources, including indigenous and local knowledge;

(c) on the basis of the scientific information derived from the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring, from the national scientific programs, and from other relevant sources, and taking into account relevant fisheries management and ecosystem considerations, including the precautionary approach and potential adverse impacts of fishing on the ecosystems, consider, inter alia, whether the distribution, migration and abundance of fish in the Agreement Area would support a sustainable commercial fishery and, on that basis, determine:

(i) whether to commence negotiations to establish one or more additional regional or subregional fisheries management organizations or arrangements for managing fishing in the Agreement Area; and

(ii) whether, once negotiations have commenced pursuant to subparagraph (i) above and once the Parties have agreed on mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of fish stocks, to establish additional or different interim conservation and management measures in respect of those stocks in the Agreement Area.

(d) establish, within three years of the entry into force of this Agreement, conservation and management measures for exploratory fishing in the Agreement Area.  The Parties may amend such measures from time to time.  These measures shall provide, inter alia, that:

(i) exploratory fishing shall not undermine the objective of this Agreement;

(ii) exploratory fishing shall be limited in duration, scope and scale to minimize impacts on fish stocks and ecosystems and shall be subject to standard requirements set forth in the data sharing protocol adopted in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 5;

(iii) a Party may authorize exploratory fishing only on the basis of sound scientific research and when it is consistent with the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring and its own national scientific program(s);

(iv) a Party may authorize exploratory fishing only after it has notified the other Parties of its plans for such fishing and it has provided other Parties an opportunity to comment on those plans; and

(v) a Party must adequately monitor any exploratory fishing that it has authorized and report the results of such fishing to the other Parties.

2. To promote implementation of this Agreement, including with respect to the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring and other activities undertaken pursuant to Article 4, the Parties may form committees or similar bodies in which representatives of Arctic communities, including Arctic indigenous peoples, may participate.

Article 6

Decision-Making

1. Decisions of the Parties on questions of procedure shall be taken by a majority of the Parties casting affirmative or negative votes.

2. Decisions of the Parties on questions of substance shall be taken by consensus.  For the purpose of this Agreement, “consensus” means the absence of any formal objection made at the time the decision was taken.

3. A question shall be deemed to be of substance if any Party considers it to be of substance.

Article 7

Dispute Settlement

The provisions relating to the settlement of disputes set forth in Part VIII of the 1995 Agreement apply, mutatis mutandis, to any dispute between Parties relating to the interpretation or application of this Agreement, whether or not they are also Parties to the 1995 Agreement.

Article 8

Non-Parties

1. The Parties shall encourage non-parties to this Agreement to take measures that are consistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

2. The Parties shall take measures consistent with international law to deter the activities of vessels entitled to fly the flags of non-parties that undermine the effective implementation of this Agreement.

Article 9

Signature

1. This Agreement shall be open for signature at [location] from [date] by Canada, the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Denmark in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Norway, the Russian Federation, the United States of America and the European Union and shall remain open for signature for 12 months following that date.

2. For signatories to this Agreement, this Agreement shall remain open for ratification, acceptance or approval at any time.

Article 10

Accession

1. For the States listed in Article 9, paragraph 1 that have not signed this Agreement, and for the European Union if it has not signed this Agreement, this Agreement shall remain open for accession at any time.

2. After the entry into force of this Agreement, the Parties may invite other States with a real interest to accede to this Agreement.

Article 11

Entry into Force

1. This Agreement shall enter into force 30 days after the date of receipt by the depositary of all instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval of, or accession to, this Agreement by those States and the European Union listed in Article 9, paragraph 1.  

2. After entry into force of this Agreement, it shall enter into force for each State invited to accede pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 2 that has deposited an instrument of accession 30 days after the date of deposit of that instrument.  

Article 12

Withdrawal

A Party may withdraw from this Agreement at any time by sending written notification of its withdrawal to the depositary through diplomatic channels, specifying the effective date of its withdrawal, which shall be at least six months after the date of notification.  Withdrawal from this Agreement shall not affect its application among the remaining Parties or the duty of the withdrawing Party to fulfill any obligation in this Agreement to which it otherwise would be subject under international law independently of this Agreement.  

Article 13

Duration of this Agreement

1. This Agreement shall remain in force for an initial period of 16 years following its entry into force.

2. Following the expiration of the initial period specified in paragraph 1 above, this Agreement shall remain in force for successive five-year extension period(s) unless any Party:

(a) presents a formal objection to an extension of this Agreement at the last meeting of the Parties that takes place prior to expiration of the initial period or any subsequent extension period; or

(b) sends a formal objection to an extension to the depositary in writing no later than six months prior to the expiration of the respective period.  

3. The Parties shall provide for an effective transition between this Agreement and any potential new agreement establishing an additional regional or subregional fisheries management organization or arrangement for managing fishing in the Agreement Area so as to safeguard healthy marine ecosystems and ensure the conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks in the Agreement Area.

Article 14

Relation to Other Agreements

1. The Parties recognize that they are and will continue to be bound by their obligations under relevant provisions of international law, including those reflected in the Convention and the 1995 Agreement, and recognize the importance of continuing to cooperate in fulfilling those obligations even in the event that this Agreement expires or is terminated in the absence of any agreement establishing an additional regional or subregional fisheries management organization or arrangement for managing fishing in the Agreement Area.

2. Nothing in this Agreement shall prejudice the positions of any Party with respect to its rights and obligations under international agreements and its positions with respect to any question relating to the law of the sea, including with respect to any position relating to the exercise of rights and jurisdiction in the Arctic Ocean.

3. Nothing in this Agreement shall prejudice the rights, jurisdiction and duties of any Party under relevant provisions of international law as reflected in the Convention or the 1995 Agreement, including the right to propose the commencement of negotiations on the establishment of one or more additional regional or subregional fisheries management organizations or arrangements for the Agreement Area.

4. This Agreement shall not alter the rights and obligations of any Party that arise from other agreements compatible with this Agreement and that do not affect the enjoyment by other Parties of their rights or the performance of their obligations under this Agreement.  This Agreement shall neither undermine nor conflict with the role and mandate of any existing international mechanism relating to fisheries management. 

Article 15

Depositary

1. The Government of Canada shall be the depositary for this Agreement.

2. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the depositary.

3. The depositary shall inform all signatories and all Parties of the deposit of all instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession and perform such other functions as are provided for in the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Done at _________________________ on this ______  day of  _________, 201X, in a single original, in the Chinese, English, French and Russian languages, each text being equally authentic.