Oceans North U.S.
Oceans North U.S. (U.S. Arctic Program) works to protect the U.S. Arctic Ocean and its marine life from rapid industrialization made possible by the warming climate and the melting ice cap.
Alaska is home to America’s Arctic, one of the most beautiful and forbidding places on earth. In this land of ice and snow, indigenous communities have thrived for thousands of years with a traditional way of life dependent on the region’s natural bounty. Here, one of the world’s last relatively untouched marine ecosystems provides habitat for iconic species such as polar bears, walrus, ice seals and bowhead whales.
Climate change is warming the Arctic at twice the rate of the rest of the planet, causing a rapid melting of the ice pack and fundamentally altering this region’s ecosystems. At the same time, the loss of sea ice is opening this vibrant place to new industrial development, from oil and gas drilling to commercial fishing and shipping. (Watch Sylvia Earle, renowned ocean explorer, speak about our changing oceans and the Arctic.)
Before such development is allowed to proceed, a comprehensive science-based plan must be put in place to prevent irreparable damage to the Chukchi and Beaufort seas in the U.S. Arctic Ocean. In the next decade, the nation faces a historic choice: whether to allow unchecked exploitation of the U.S. Arctic Ocean or to ensure that scientific research and adequate consultation with indigenous peoples guide a path to sustainable development.
In the southeast Bering Sea, the world-class commercial fisheries in Bristol Bay must be protected from oil and gas development that could damage the nation’s “fish basket.” This region produces more than 40 percent of the country’s seafood and is home to the world’s largest wild sockeye salmon run.
The Oceans North U.S. program focuses on using science to understand and reduce potential risks to the Arctic from climate change and industrial development, including oil and gas activities, commercial fishing and industrial shipping. The program works closely with scientists, Alaska Natives, the U.S. government, local communities and conservation groups to achieve key policy goals for protecting the Arctic ecosystem.
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Here’s what Oceans North U.S. is working on:
- Protecting the U.S. Arctic Ocean
- Protecting Bristol Bay
- U.S. Oil & Gas Activities
- Oil Spill Risks
- Alaska Native Communities
Recent Campaign Advertisements
Following are our latest campaign ads for the U.S. Arctic Program. Visit our newsroom for more.
Recent News
Following are our latest news items for the U.S. Arctic Program. Visit our newsroom for more.
How to Address U.S. Arctic Science Needs
The Pew Charitable Trusts and Ocean Conservancy recently released a white paper in which 14 independent Arctic marine scientists reviewed and reinforced the recommendations of a USGS Arctic science gap analysis. The white paper also recommends concrete steps the Obama administration should take to address science gaps and inform conservation and development decisions in America’s Arctic Ocean.
VIDEO: Don't Put America's Arctic Ocean at Risk
The oil industry recently submitted exploration plans to drill up to 10 wells over the next two summers in the U.S. Arctic Ocean for review by the Department of the Interior. As the video below shows, to allow drilling now would put this extraordinary ecosystem—and vibrant communities that have practiced a traditional way of life for thousands of years—at risk.
Arctic Oil Spill Report
Oil Spill Prevention and Response in the U.S. Arctic Ocean: Unexamined Risks, Unacceptable Consequences is the most comprehensive analysis yet on challenges to preventing and containing spills along the nation’s northernmost coast. Find details, downloads, and video >