The International Bering Sea Forum was formed at the April 2003 Sustaining the Bering Conference in Girdwood, Alaska. Because the Bering ecosystem lies in US, Russian, and international waters, conference participants agreed that only international cooperation would lead to sustainable management of the Bering. Also, because the Bering's ecosystem has a direct effect on coastal communities, indigenous peoples, and fishing families, participants agreed that all these interests should be represented on the Forum.

The Forum was founded in the belief that the Bering Sea ecosystem is a global treasure that is under threat from a number of factors, including overfishing, poaching, climate change, and pollution. The Forum is the most ambitious effort to date at an international, multi-stakeholder approach to conservation of the Bering.

Members of the Forum represent a diverse set of citizens from the United States and Russia, including scientists, indigenous leaders, environmentalists, and fishermen who are committed to the sustainable management of the Bering Sea. The Forum is an independent, non-governmental body.

The goals of the Forum are:

· Advocate for the protection of the Bering Sea, and the species that depend on the Bering habitat for their survival.
· Promote the sustainable livelihood of local communities that depend upon the Bering, including coastal communities, indigenous communities, and fishing families.
· Share information, foster greater international collaboration, and promote greater understanding worldwide of the importance of the Bering Sea.
· Seek to proactively reform existing fisheries policies to achieve sustainable management of the Bering.

While the Forum does not have regulatory authority, it will pro-actively advocate for policies and positions with the governmental agencies now overseeing the Bering. It will rely upon both sound scientific information as well as traditional native knowledge to make its determinations.

Click here for a list of Forum members