The moratorium will be in effect for 16 years, while scientists research on the possible impact of fishing on the ecology of the region.
Nine major fishing countries and the European Union agreed on Thursday to temporarily prohibit commercial fishing in the fast-melting central Arctic Ocean. The agreement will be in effect for 16 years, or until a sustainable plan for fishing in the region is decided, The New York Times reported.
Five of the countries, with an Arctic coastline – the United States, Norway, Denmark, Canada and Russia – had already agreed to such a deal in 2015, but they needed support from some other countries that operate significant trawling fleets. After six meetings over two years, South Korea, China, Japan, Iceland and the EU agreed to sign the moratorium on Thursday.
The moratorium covers an area of about 2.8 million sq km. After it expires in 16 years, the deal can be renewed for five years.
Though commercial fishing in the Arctic has not begun yet, there were fears it might start any time as the once-frozen ocean now melts even more in the summers and because of the effects of global warming.
“This is one of the rare times when a group of governments actually solved a problem before it happened,” said David Balton, US ambassador for oceans and fisheries.
Scientists now have 16 years to study the marine ecology of the Arctic and understand the potential impact of fishing at high latitudes and how to mitigate it.
Home, a space that is entirely ours, holds together our entire world. Where our children grow-up, parents grow old and we collect a lifetime of memories, home is a feeling as much as it’s a place. So, what do you do when your home is eyed by miscreants who prowl the neighbourhood night and day, plotting to break in? Here are a few pre-emptive measures you can take to make your home safe from burglars:
Burglars study the neighbourhood to keep a check on the ins and outs of residents and target homes that can be easily accessed. Understanding how the mind of a burglar works might give insights that can be used to ward off such danger. For instance, burglars judge a house by its front doors. A house with a sturdy door, secured by an alarm system or an intimidating lock, doesn’t end up on the burglar’s target list. Upgrade the locks on your doors to the latest technology to leave a strong impression.
Here are the videos of 3 reformed robbers talking about their modus operandi and what discouraged them from robbing a house, to give you some ideas on reinforcing your home.
Whether it’s a dodgy back door, a misaligned window in your parent’s room or the easily accessible balcony of your kid’s room, identify signs of weakness in your home and fix them. Any sign of neglect can give burglars the idea that the house can be easily robbed because of lax internal security.
You don’t need to plant intricate booby traps like the ones in the Home Alone movies, but try to stay one step ahead of thieves. Keep your car keys on your bed-stand in the night so that you can activate the car alarm in case of unwanted visitors. When out on a vacation, convince the burglars that the house is not empty by using smart light bulbs that can be remotely controlled and switched on at night. Make sure that your newspapers don’t pile up in front of the main-door (a clear indication that the house is empty).
Collaborate with your neighbours to increase the lighting around your house and on the street – a well-lit neighbourhood makes it difficult for burglars to get-away, deterring them from targeting the area. Make sure that the police verification of your hired help is done and that he/she is trustworthy.
While many of us take home security for granted, it’s important to be proactive to eliminate even the slight chance of a robbery. As the above videos show, robbers come up with ingenious ways to break in to homes. So, take their advice and invest in a good set of locks to protect your doors. Godrej Locks offer a range of innovative locks that are un-pickable and un-duplicable. To secure your house, see here.
The article was produced by the Scroll marketing team on behalf of Godrej Locks and not by the Scroll editorial team.
