| Summary/Abstract |
The Barents Sea is an ecopolitical region bounded on the south by the north coasts of Norway and Russia, on the east by the 38th meridian, on the north by the Central Arctic Ocean, and on the west by the boundary of the Svalbard Fishery Protection Zone. The fact that much of this region has been largely ice free in modern times differentiates it from the rest of the maritime Arctic and has drawn the attention of both resource users and policymakers to the region. Norway and Russia, the key players in the Barents Sea Region, have developed a cooperative relationship in managing the shared natural resources of the region. Nevertheless, other states have interests in the region. Issues of governance in the Barents Sea Region involve growing needs for improved mechanisms to address the interplay among various elements of the complex of sectoral regimes applicable to the region and for agility in responding to rapid changes in the biophysical and socioeconomic conditions prevailing in the region.
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