The Arctic is Melting, But Fishermen Won’t Benefit From the Expanding Seas
September 1, 2009 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis 
Photo courtesy of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration.
There is little dispute anymore that global warming is real. The 20th century’s last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia, according to National Geographic’s review of a number of climate studies.
About the best piece of news is that most people, and especially important, world leaders and government agencies are starting to acknowledge the issue and taking measures to both combat its causes and ramifications.
One of the most visible affects of global warning has been the increased summer retreating of the Arctic ice sheets. While no one yet has figured out how to stop it, the U.S. government has put into effect a plan to stop commercial fishing from entering into the seas opened by the newly melted ice.
Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, just approved a plan to prohibit the expansion until researchers gather enough information on the fish and the Arctic marine environment to prevent adverse affects to the ecosystem.