Protecting Arctic Marine Ecosystems

Arctic marine ecosystems face a number of threats resulting from climate change and increased levels of human activities. Despite the ecological, cultural and economic importance of the circumpolar Arctic, the Arctic Ocean does not have coordinated management and conservation planning. Multiple nations have staked sometimes-competing jurisdictional claims to the Arctic Ocean seabed; other portions of the Arctic Ocean lie beyond the jurisdiction of any nation. The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic countries, which include the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden, though the latter two have no marine claims in the Arctic. Even within national boundaries, Arctic waters are seldom subject to a comprehensive management regime. As a result, planning and management occur in a patchwork of processes at local, regional, national and international levels. The rapid pace of change, together with a lack of holistic planning and management, could jeopardize the integrity of Arctic ecosystems.

To assess the state of conservation in the circumpolar region, the Center for Spatial Analysis and Research at Portland State University, in collaboration with the nonprofit environmental group Ocean Conservancy, analyzed the current state of Arctic marine protected areas and how these areas relate to important marine ecosystems. We used GIS analysis to determine distribution, overlap, and levels of protection for ecologically significant areas for the region and each country with a territorial interest. Using data from the Norwegian Coastal Administration, we mapped shipping routes, types, and densities for the years 2013 and 2014 to assess potential impacts to marine protected areas. Potential oil/gas reserve data from BOE/USGS were analyzed to determine overlaps with marine protected areas.

For a summary of this project, see this Story Map:

Kyle Lempinen and Katey Bisso presented a poster about the project, entitled “Who’s Protecting the Arctic?: A GIS Analysis of Marine Protected Areas (.pdf)” at the AAG Conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.

Alec Trusty and Krista Fanucchi made a Story Map presentation at the 2017 GIS in Action conference in Portland, OR entitled: "A GIS Analysis of Ecologically Significant and Marine Protected Areas of the Circumpolar Arctic".

Gabriel Rousseau (PSU Graduate Certificate GIS) and Kyle Lempinen won 1st Place for post-secondary student map at the 2017 ESRI User Conference for their poster-size map "Pinpointing Vulnerabilities: Protecting Regions of the Arctic".

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS:

David Banis, PSU Geography, Center for Spatial Analysis and Research

Todd Stevenson, Ocean Conservancy

Katey Bisso, PSU BS Geography

Krista Fanucchi, PSU BS Geography

Kyle Lempinen, PSU BS Social Studies, GIS Minor

Alec Trusty, PSU BS ESM, GIS Minor