Officials from Russia, the United States, Norway, Canada and Denmark have signed an agreement to ban fishing in international Arctic waters, RIA Novosti said, quoting Reuters.

The document covers the high-seas located outside the exclusive national economic zones.

The agreement was to have been signed in June 2014, but the process was delayed due to international tensions.

The media has said that rapidly melting ice formations were affecting the Arctic ecosystem, and that excessive fishing could irreparably damage it.