This April, join scientists, knowledge holders, governing bodies, students, and more in sharing experiences and challenges with applying the ecosystem approach to management in Arctic Large Marine Ecosystems.

How can the ecosystem approach to management in the Arctic be applied at local, national, and regional levels? How can research, monitoring and assessments of Arctic Ocean ecosystems provide and add to the best available knowledge from science, Indigenous Peoples, and people living in and of the Arctic? How can we make communication between governance, research, and other knowledge-producing institutions more effective?
Explore these questions – and more – at the Third International Conference on Ecosystem Approach to Management in Arctic Large Marine Ecosystems: Ecosystem-Based Management in a Rapidly Warming Arctic. The international conference will occur in the Fram Centre in Tromsø, Norway on 16-18 April 2024. The conference is part of the official Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council (2023-2025).
Arctic warming, retreating sea ice and increased human activity are leading to unprecedented changes and far-reaching consequences for Arctic marine ecosystems and the people and communities that rely on them. While the ecosystem approach to management (EA or EBM) is an established practice, the fundamental changes that Arctic marine ecosystems are undergoing raise questions as to how this concept will be pursued in the future. The Third International Conference on Ecosystem Approach to Management seeks to address these questions, exchange lessons learned and best practices for the implementation of EA in the Arctic, and examine how these practices reflect the knowledge, goals, advice, and voices of the people living in and from the Arctic.
The conference will bring together internationally recognized scientific experts, Indigenous Knowledge holders, decision-makers, early career professionals, students, and other experts to Tromsø to discuss how a rapidly warming Arctic Ocean can be protected from the increasing pressure from human activities. Anyone with expertise or an interest in the sustainable management of the Arctic Ocean is welcome to participate.
Register here (early bird registration until 21 January).
The conference is organized within the following three main sessions.
Session 1: Cooperation and governance for ecosystem-based management: Status and shared experiences from across Arctic marine ecosystems.
In this session, management practitioners and authorities at various levels of governance in the Arctic nations will discuss how they apply components of an Ecosystem Approach at local, national, and regional levels. Management practitioners and authorities will also address what is being done to effectively employ EA and enhance cooperation across jurisdictions in the face of rapid climate change.
Session 2: Exploring multiple knowledge systems to improve integrated ecosystem assessments.
In this session, the discussion will focus on how research, monitoring, and assessments of Arctic Ocean ecosystems can provide and add to the best available knowledge from science, Indigenous Peoples, and people living in the Arctic. We will address what tools and methods to use for integrating evidence-based knowledge into assessments.
Session 3: How can we establish participation, knowledge exchange, and scientific integrity in EA policy-making?
In this session, we ask how effective the communication is between EA governance institutions and the institutions providing evidence-based knowledge. This critical line of communication shall provide advice for iterative and adaptive decision-making through the proposal of ecological goals, and by giving clear and evidence-based advice on how the goals can be reached. This section will also address the importance of rightsholder and stakeholder involvement throughout the entirety of the decision-making process.
More information about the conference and an agenda can be found on the conference website.
Co-conveners and organizing committee
The Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council in cooperation with the Institute of Marine Research, Norway is the main convener, sponsor, and host of this conference.
The organizing committee consists of the Arctic Council Working Groups: Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) and the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG), as well as Permanent Participants Inuit Circumpolar Council and Saami Council and Observer organizations International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and WWF-Arctic.
In addition to the Norwegian Chairship of the Arctic Council, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, and the Institute of Marine Research, financial sponsors of this conference include the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), Tromsø Municipality, and the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø. Universities and research institutions in the Arctic will support and facilitate the Conference with young professionals and knowledge holders and events.