Resource+regime5

__Definition:__ A resource regime is the ‘social and political structures within which resources are managed.’ There are four main types of resource regimes: open access, common property, private property and state ownership. Each regime has advantages and disadvantages and therefore each have important implications.

[|Polar bears] are an international resource and are managed by a prohibition regime agreed upon and applied equally in Canada, The United States, Russia, Denmark and Norway. This regime has several key aspects particular to this resource. First, this regime prohibits the hunting, killing and capture of polar bears save special exceptions given. Exceptions to the prohibition are for scientific purposes, conservation, prevention of disturbances to other areas resource management, traditional hunting rights granted to local peoples and the protection of life and property. In particular, Canada and Denmark allow subsistence hunting and Canada allows the [|capture and removal] of problem bears from Churchill Manitoba. Norway is allowed to cull the bears to protect the seal harvest, the U.S. has designated areas that allow no hunting of polar bears, and Russia has a broad prohibition on hunting polar bears. Second, special protection is given to female bears with cubs. This protection is granted to preserve the population and is active throughout the year. The third significant aspect is that the prohibition is extended to all international waters and outside of any state jurisdiction. In short, the prohibition is applied to all areas that are frequented by polar bears. This prohibition is not legally enforceable, nor does it have any infrastructure to monitor the compliance of each signatory state. This decentralized approach helps to promote compliance between the countries involved and encourages the honouring of the agreement. This approach also facilitates the exchange of research and management information between members of the agreement.