Agreement for the Conservation of Polar Bears,
1973
The Governments of Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America
Recognizing the special responsibilities and special interests of the States of the
Arctic Region in relation to the protection of the fauna and flora of the Arctic
Region;
Recognizing that the polar bear is a significant resource of the Arctic Region
which requires additional protection;
Having decided that such protection should be achieved through co-ordinated
national measures taken by the States of the Arctic Region;
Desiring to take immediate action to bring further conservation and management
measures into effect;
Having agreed as follows:
Article I
1. The taking of polar bears shall be prohibited except as provided in Article III.
2. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “taking” includes hunting, killing
and capturing.
Article II
Each Contracting Party shall take appropriate action to protect the ecosystems of
which polar bears are a part, with special attention to habitat components such as
denning and feeding sites and migration patterns, and shall manage polar bear
populations in accordance with sound conservation practices based on the best
available scientific data.
Article III
1. Subject to the provisions of Articles II and IV any Contracting Party may
allow the taking of polar bears when such taking is carried out:
(a) for bona fide scientific purposes; or
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
N. Sellheim, International Marine Mammal Law,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35268-4
207
1973
The Governments of Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America
Recognizing the special responsibilities and special interests of the States of the
Arctic Region in relation to the protection of the fauna and flora of the Arctic
Region;
Recognizing that the polar bear is a significant resource of the Arctic Region
which requires additional protection;
Having decided that such protection should be achieved through co-ordinated
national measures taken by the States of the Arctic Region;
Desiring to take immediate action to bring further conservation and management
measures into effect;
Having agreed as follows:
Article I
1. The taking of polar bears shall be prohibited except as provided in Article III.
2. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “taking” includes hunting, killing
and capturing.
Article II
Each Contracting Party shall take appropriate action to protect the ecosystems of
which polar bears are a part, with special attention to habitat components such as
denning and feeding sites and migration patterns, and shall manage polar bear
populations in accordance with sound conservation practices based on the best
available scientific data.
Article III
1. Subject to the provisions of Articles II and IV any Contracting Party may
allow the taking of polar bears when such taking is carried out:
(a) for bona fide scientific purposes; or
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
N. Sellheim, International Marine Mammal Law,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35268-4
207