Science for management advice in the Arctic Ocean: The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)

Abstract

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea was established in 1902 and is one of the oldest marine science institutions in the world. It has aged well – today it provides scientific advice for the management of the marine environment and the natural resources there to governments and regional commissions for fisheries and environment in the Northeast Atlantic. It has 20 member nations and a network of 6000 scientists and 700 institutes as the foundation of its activities, spanning from basic marine science via data management to the provision of scientific advice on marine management. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the ICES organization and its functions, discuss its provision of scientific advice and thereby its role at the science-policy interface in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, including how this role is changing with the development of integrated, ecosystem based management of the oceans. The final part of the chapter addresses the current governance of Arctic marine science and its science – policy interfaces.