163 



and food supply; and particularly the preservation within 

 national areas of critical denning areas." 146 



With regard to the ecosystem protection obligation, the 

 parties recognized the need to provide protection to the 

 Arctic region "as a whole." Consideration was given to the 

 need to use the "same lines as the polar bear cooperation is 

 based on" to provide "improved protection of flora, fauna and 

 nature in the Arctic." 147 Specific reference was made to the 

 IUCN World Conservation Strategy, which included a proposal 

 for "developing agreements among the Arctic nations on the 

 conservation of the region's vital biological resources based 

 en the principles and experience of the Agreement on 

 Conservation of Polar Bears." 148 



Included in the record of the 1981 meeting is a statement 

 by Dr. Lee Talbot, the IUCN representative, who noted that the 

 concept of Arctic ecosystem protection began with the 1965 

 Polar Bear Specialist Group. Dr. Talbot, observed that, 

 "[t]he modern search for and exploitation of non-renewable 

 resources, which was just getting underway fifteen years ago, 

 has continued and intensified, with major impacts on the 



146 Final Act and Summary Record of; The Conference to Prepare an 

 Agreement on the Conservation of P olar Beam 19 (19801 f " Final Act /Summary 

 Record- 1. 



'li. at 73. 



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