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The objective of both international and national fisheries management legislation has traditionally been to optimize utilization of individual fish stocks. Recently the environmental effects of fishing, including overfishing, by-catches, and destruction of habitat, have come into focus. International instruments (binding and non-binding) have been adopted to accommodate these concerns through introducing environmental principles (e.g. the precautionary approach and ecosystem approach) to supplement international fisheries law and international environmental law. In 2009 new legislation came into force in Norway to introduce these obligations. The legislation is investigated to assess how environmental considerations are implemented and weighted against other considerations, such as settlement and employment, traditionally important interests in fisheries management. The new legislation means fisheries management must apply objectives and principles across sectors to include utilization of all natural resources. The conclusion is that although the fisheries management agencies still enjoy wide discretion, the implementation of these principles and their integration with other sectors will require a more holistic approach to fisheries management in the future.Keywords: Implementation of international fisheries and international environmental law, Norwegian fisheries law, Norwegian environmental and natural resources law, Norwegian administrative law.Citation: Arctic Review on Law and Politics, vol. 1, 1/2010 p. 131–157. ISSN 1891-6252

The status of the marine Arctic as 'the last wilderness' may be challenged in future by increased activities provided by the melting of the sea ice. The fragile ecosystems and habitats may come under threat. In this article the international law on conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity is explored where the ecosystem approach has been developed, and these legal and semi-legal norms are related to the marine Arctic. Particularly challenging is to implement the ecosystem approach within the maritime jurisdiction. Although still a wilderness, state practice indicates that implementation will not be any easier in the Arctic, and that it will not become a laboratory for new legal regimes. Most likely sectoral regulatory regimes will be extended or developed as different threats materialize. One of the main challenges will be to ensure proper coordination between these to apply the ecosystem approach.Keywords: Arctic, international environmental law, biodiversity, law of the seaCitation: Arctic Review on Law and Politics, vol. 1, 2/2010 p. 249-278. ISSN 1891-6252