Scaling up Arctic conservation: why large marine ecosystems should drive ecosystem-based marine conservation

Summary

In line with international biodiversity commitments, the Arctic Council has called for the establishment of a pan-Arctic marine conservation network, which must be integrated into ecosystem-based management (EBM) to effectively address cumulative pressures and balance conservation and sustainable use. This perspective argues that EBM and marine conservation risk advancing as isolated approaches, and that stronger integration between can be achieved through convergence at a shared, ecologically meaningful spatial scale. Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) provide a suitable level due to their ecological relevance and recognition in Arctic Council strategies. Their mostly transboundary nature creates a need for coordinated action among Arctic states. Focusing on scientific assessments and the planning of management measures, the article argues that the application and coordination at LME-level remains inconsistent, resulting in governance approaches that are largely nationally bounded and insufficient to ensure the ecological coherence required for an effective conservation network. We therefore argue that stronger political leadership is needed to align assessments at the level of LMEs and to enhance transboundary coordination in the planning of measures and promote legal coherence.