Arctic waters off Russia under threat

Overfishing, pollution from industry and the legacy of the Cold War all threaten the future of the Barents Sea, says a report released last week by the United Nations Environment Programme.

A UNEP report says the overexploitation of fish stocks is “the most alarming problem for the region at present.”

Other threats include the storage of radioactive waste, and the introduction of foreign species, such as Kamchatka crabs, into the marine environment.

The report says the Barents Sea, which lies north of Norway and Russia in the Arctic Ocean, is much cleaner than other European bodies of water.

But the development of the huge oil and gas deposits on Russia’s Arctic shelf will increase oil transport and up the risk of accidental oil spills.

The report suggests ways to cut the risk of possible emergencies, including safety plans to prevent accidental oil spills.

The region around the Russian port of Murmansk houses more radioactive waste than anywhere else in the world.