| GREENLAND INCREASE NARWHAL QUOTA AGAIN (9.12.2006) The Homerule has just announced that the annual hunting quota for narwhals in West Greenland will be increased with 100 animals for the rest of the current quota year. The increase comes after several local protests from hunters. The previous quota was used up in most regions and hunters has during the last weeks claimed that narwhals were abundant. With the new quota the total quota for the period from June 2006 - June 2007 will be 385 narwhals. This figure includes an excessive hunt of 68 narwhals in the 2005-2006 quota year. The quota of 2006-2007 is now the highest quota of narwhals ever granted since Greenland introduced a much published quota regime for narwhals in 2004. Back then, the a quota system was introduced to reduce overall hunting in an attempt to reach a sustainable hunting level. In fact the opposite seems to be happening. Biologists recommend a maximum hunt of 135 narwhals annually in West Greenland, i.e., making the new quota level almost three times as high. Over the last years the homerule has granted cash money (about 900 USD) to each hunter for Christmas - this year they got a different gift: One hundred extra narwhals of the endangered Greenland population. Link to press release (in Danish only)
| GREENLAND ANNOUNCE NEW NARWHAL QUOTA (20.9.2006) The Homerule Ministry of Fishery and Hunting has announced the new narwhal hunting quota for the third quota year from 1.7.06 to 30.6.07. This year 285 narwhal may be caught in West Greenland. 68 narwhals has already been hunted, i.e. the total quota is 217 anmials. The maximum sustainable quota to maintain current population is estimated by biologists to be 135 narwhal annually in West Greenland. The narwhal population in the assessed parts of West Greenland (Melville Bay and Inglefield Bredning) has been decimated with c. 50% during the last 20 years due to over-hunting. No quota is set for East Greenland since knowledge of population is lacking. C. 80 narwhals are hunted in East Greenland annually. Homerule press release (in English) - (in Danish)
| GREENLAND OF THE HOOK: CITES WILL NOT LOOK INTO GREENLAND'S NARWHAL TRADE -(31.7.2006, update 1.8.2006) (external link - WDCS website) Following Greenland's self imposed export ban on narwhal products the CITES Animals Committee in July 2006 decided to remove Greenlandic trade with narwhal from the Significant Trade Review Process. Excessive hunting of the West Greenlandic narwhal population continues without a valid quota. A new hunting quota is expected in August 2006 according to the Homerule. However, large portions of the new quota has already been used by hunters in North West Greenland. Figures around 105 has recently been mentioned in Greenlandic press. Trade with narwhal tusks and narwhal blubber continues in Greenland as observed by EcoAdvise in July 2006 during a visit in various tourist shops in West Greenland. Tourist shops can still issue unused pre-issued CITES permits and stock of such export permits were readily available in several places. It is yet unknown how many un-used CITES permits are available in Greenland for the summer tourism season 2006 in Greenland.
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GREENLAND BAN ALL EXPORT OF NARWHAL PRODUCTS (1.7.2006)With immediate effect the Greenland homerule has decided to ban all export of narwhal products. The ban also includes souvenirs.The decision follows international critique after the same homerule increased the hunting quota by 50 in November 2005. In addition to an illegal hunting episode the current 2006-2006 hunt may exceed the sustainable hunting level at 135 with more than 200 narwhals.Link to Greenland Homerule (in English)Link to WWF Arctic Bulletin story (in English)
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GREENLAND NEEDS TO CUT NARHWAL AND BELUGA HUNTING (28.4.2006)SIKU News reports that according to the international management bodies NAMMCO and JNCB Greenland needs to reduce its annual take of the two small cetaceans.Link to SIKU News (in English)
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Greenland narwhal quota a cover-up?Over-hunting by narwhal hunters in Uummannaq, Greenland has infuriated conservationists and biologists who say the home rule government is raising quotas to cover up excessive hunting.The Nuuk newspaper AG said Greenland’s fisheries department granted an additional quota of 35 narwhal to Uummannaq, although a “serious over-harvest” had already taken place in this northwestern municipality. Over-hunting also occurred in Upernavik. In a recent AG article, journalist Andreas Lindqvist said “first, the biologists recommended a narwhal quota of 135. Then, the home rule government decided to double this quota to 260, and, then, it added on 50 to cover over-hunting in Uummannaq.” Hunters in Uummanaq have caught 127 narwhal to date, and 68 during a single, two-hour period. In Upernavik, the narwhal quota was 60, but the hunt wasn’t stopped until 67 narwhal were killed.The total narwhal hunt this year in Greenland may reach 368, although this figure is still down from the 666 recorded two years ago. Reductions to the narwhal hunt came after Greenland’s Institute of Natural Resources and the |
North Atlantic Marine Mammals Commission recommended a maximum annual catch of 135 in West Greenland. Biologists say the West Greenlandic narwhal population has decreased by 50 per cent over the past 20 years. But, in a recent newspaper interview, Finn Karlsen, the minister responsible for hunting and fishing, blasted media for favouring the views of biologists over those of hunters. Hunters maintain there are plenty of narwhal along Greenland’s western coast. “I believe the hunters more. I was myself raised by a hunter and I know they have more knowledge about this than the biologists,” Karlsen said in an interview with AG. Biologist Thor Hjarsen from an environmental consulting agency, EcoAdvise, reported the over-hunting to Denmark’s Forest and Nature Agency and the CITES-branch of the European Union Commission. CITES, or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is an international watchdog group that sets controls on the cross-border sale of threatened species. It’s already threatened to clamp down on any traffic in narwhal from Greenland, due to the over-hunting of narwhal. |
SIKU Circumpolar News Service www.sikunews.com 25.12.05, 11:47:
Furor over Greenland's narwhal huntBiologists say the West Greenlandic narwhal population has decreased by 50 per cent over the past 20 year, but overhunting persists— causing the home rule government to up its own, reduced quotas for 2005. |
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NUUK, GREENLAND:The recent hunt of 68 narwhals in Uummannaq, which had already gone over quota, has infuriated conservationists and biologists who say the home rule government is bending its own rules for hunters. The Nuuk newspaper AG reported that the home rule fisheries department granted an additional quota to Uummannaq, although a “serious over-harvest” took place in the northwestern municipality. Overhunting also occurred in Upernavik. In a recent AG article, Andreas Lindqvist said “first, the biologists recommended a narwhal quota of 135. Then, the home rule government decided to double this quota to 260, and then it added on 50 to cover overhunting in Uummannaq”. “It is correct that 119 narwhals have been caught in Uummannaq instead of the allowed 68 of the quota. The situation was that on Nov. 18, 17 narwhals remained of the quota. We determined it was not necessary to close the hunt before the following Monday,” David Olsen, the fishery advisor from Uummannaq told AG. Days later the hunters caught 68 narwhals in just two hours. Olsen said he understood the over-hunting by Uummannaq hunters wouldn’t be subtracted from this year’s higher quota— and so hunters are continuing to hunt narwhal. “We got the message not to subtract the 51 narwhals from the new quota,” Olsen told AG. In Upernavik, overhunting hunt also took place. There, the narwhal quota was 60, but the hunt wasn’t stopped before 67 narwhal were killed.“When several hunters hunt at the same time it is very difficult to know the exact number killed. Especially when we speak about the remote settlements,” local fishery advisor Nikolaj Jensen told AG. |
The total narwhal hunt this year in Greenland may reach 368, although two years ago, 666 narwhals were killed. The reduction in the hunt came after Greenland’s Institute of Natural Resources and the North Atlantic Marine Mammals Commission recommended a maximum annual catch of 135 in West Greenland. Biologists say the West Greenlandic narwhal population has decreased by 50 per cent over the past 20 years. But, in a recent newspaper interview, Finn Karlsen, the home rule minister responsible for hunting and fishing, blasted media for favouring the views of biologists over those of hunters, who maintain there are plenty of narwhal along Greenland’s west coast. “I believe the hunters more. I was myself raised by a hunter and I know they have more knowledge about this than the biologists,” Karlsen said in an interview with AG. “It is obvious an impression you may get when the whales gather in big groups. But it does not mean that the whales suddenly have become more abundant. That would be a surprise since counts has been going on for several years,” responded World Wildlife Federation’s Arctic officer Anne Marie Bjerg. Berg also criticized Greenland’s decision to move an unused quota of 92 belugas from Uummannaq to the more southerly community of Maniitsoq. “This is not without problems,” Bjerg said. "Hunting may take place on groups that are already seriously depleted.“ Biologist Thor Hjarsen from EcoAdvise reported the overhunting to Denmark’s National Forest and Nature Agency and the CITES-branch of the European Union Commission. CITES, or the the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is an international watchdog group that sets controls on the cross-border sale of threatened species. |
The Greenlandic news site webavisen.gl:
Increased quota illegal
Tuesday 20th December 2005, 19:48 hrs.
The Democrats agree with Asii Chemnitz Narup, Greenlandic Homerule Minister for Environment and Nature that the increased narwhal quota is illegal.
Asii Chemnitz Narup disagrees with the government's decision to increase the narwhal quota. The increase does not follow the Nature Protection Act approved by the parliament in 2003.
- We can not let local interests rule at the expense of the biological sustainability. We must take care of the whole of Greenland, says MP Jens B. Frederiksen from the Democrats, who is also a member of the parliamentary committee for Agriculture, Hunting and Fishery.
Biologist Thor Hjarsen from the consultancy company EcoAdvise has informed the Danish Forest and Nature Agency and the CITES-unit of the EU Commission about the decisions.
Tuesday 20th December 2005, 19:48 hrs.
The Democrats agree with Asii Chemnitz Narup, Greenlandic Homerule Minister for Environment and Nature that the increased narwhal quota is illegal.
Asii Chemnitz Narup disagrees with the government's decision to increase the narwhal quota. The increase does not follow the Nature Protection Act approved by the parliament in 2003.
- We can not let local interests rule at the expense of the biological sustainability. We must take care of the whole of Greenland, says MP Jens B. Frederiksen from the Democrats, who is also a member of the parliamentary committee for Agriculture, Hunting and Fishery.
Biologist Thor Hjarsen from the consultancy company EcoAdvise has informed the Danish Forest and Nature Agency and the CITES-unit of the EU Commission about the decisions.
The Danish daily Politiken:
To much hunt on narwhals
Politiken 20th December 2005, 1 . section, page 6
In contradiction with the biological recommendations Greenland has recently decided to increase the narwhal hunting quota. But already this year the hunting will exceed the carrying capacity of the population and the promises made to the international community, according to AG/Grønlandsposten and biologist Thor Hjarsen from the consultancy company EcoAdvise. Hjarsen has reported these violations to the Danish National Forest and Nature Agency and the CITES-branch of the EU Commission.This year the Greenlanders will hunt close to 400 narwhals - instead of the recommended 135 - according to Hjarsen the Greenlandic wildlife management "is farcical". Also the Democrats, a local opposition party in the Greenlandic parliament, is against the decision. The Homerule explains that one day to many whale was suddenly caught and the hunt was not closed down before it was to late. (Miro)
The Greenlandic newspaper AG/Grønlandsposten:
The Fishery Department looked the other way and granted 35 more narwhals while a serious overhunt took place in Uummannaq. Also in Upernavik an overhunt took place.
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UUMMANNAQ – First the biologists recommended a narwhal quota at 135. Then the homerule decided to dobble the quota to 260. But when the quota was almost used the government gave in for the hunters and increased the quota to 310 in total. Now it appears that the government has closed their eyes to an excessive hunt at 51 whales in Uummannaq. The government were aware of this hunt before the extra 50 was granted. - It is correct that 119 narwhals has been caught in Uummannaq in stead of the allowed 68 of the quota. The situation was that on the 18th November 17 narwhals remained of the quota. We assessed that it was not necessary to close the hunt before the following Monday. Unfortunately the weather was perfect on the 20th November and the hunters therefor caught 68 narwhals in just two hours, says David Olsen, fishery advisor [of Uummannaq municipality]. He can’t say if the hunters used oppotunity to undertake this mass slaughter over the weekend when it was impossible to report the catch. However, he confirms that most of the involved must have been aware that the quota was almost used. No deduction The fishery advisor have reported the excessive whaling to the ministry of fishery and hunting before the desicion of the new, increased quota. |
hunters had already killed whales eqvivalent to the total quota ncrease: - I thought that we had to deduct the excessive whaling from the new quota and therefor close the hunt this year. But we got the message not to subtract the 51 narwhals from the new quota, says David Olsen. - Will they then be taken from next years quota?- We have not been instructed to do so. But I doubt it, says the fishery advisor. He explains that of the new quota of 35 narwhals eight have been caught by now. Thus, Uummannaq has already hunted 127 narwhals [since 1. July 2005] not far from the 135 that the Nature Institute says should be the maximum hunt in West Greenland. David Olsen says the the only sanction received from the homerule is a written reprimand on the incident. MP Jens B.- To me it looks that the whole procedure must be revised. And then we need an investigation on what really happened in Uummannaq and who is responsible, he says. - I am not suprised that the government choose to ignore the case. But we can not ignore sustainability just because Finn Karlsen is the son of a hunter, says Jens B. He find it “very reprehensible” that the government granted Uummannaq a new quota on top of the 51 and thereby legalise and reward the incident. The consequence of the letter from the Homerule to Uummannaq has been that the fishery office is open also in weekends. - The regulation states only that the reporting hall takes place as soon as possible after the kill has been made, says David Olsen from Uummannaq. So it may happen again, maybe already this weekend if the weather is good. In Upernavik excessive hunt has also taken place, although without the reward of an extra quota. Here the quota was 60 but the hunt was not stopped before 67 [narwhals]. - When several hunters hunt at the same time it is very difficult to know the exact number killed. Especially when we speak about the remote settlements, says the local fishery advisor Nikolaj Jensen. It was not possible to get a comment from neither Finn Karlsen, the minister of fishery and hunting or Amalie Jessen, the deputy minister. |
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biologists as the only truth, when the biologists don’t have a complete knowledge about the narwhals and beluga whales.
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From the website of KNR, the Greenlandic National Broadcasting Station:
Ny hvalkvoter kan skade Grønlands image
Torsdag 08. december 2005 kl. 08:26
Af: Radioavisen www.knr.gl
Udvidelsen af narhvalskvoten, som landsstyret vedtog forleden, kan få en negativ indflydelse på Grønlands image ude i verden. Og ikke mindst i de hval-organisationer, som Grønland er repræsenteret i.
Adspurgt om dette forklarer direktør i Fangst- og Fiskeridirektoratet, Amalie Jessen, at det i sær kan gå hen og få konsekvenser i CITES, Fælleskommissionen om hvid- og narhvaler og NAMMCO, hvor medlemslandene stadig diskuterer hvorvidt narhvalfangster er for høje eller ej.
Desuden har IWC før truet lande med at overtage forvaltningen af småhvaler, hvis landene viste tegn på at de ikke selv formåede at gøre det.
Og sker der drastiske beslutninger om Grønlands narhvaler i Cites-regi, får det en afsmittende virkning i Canada, som Grønland deler narhvalbestande med.
CITES´ Animal Committee, der fører tilsyn med truede dyrearter på grund af handel, beordrede i foråret igangsættelse af en omfattende undersøgelse af narhvalens tilstand, både i Grønland og Canada. Denne proces er endnu ikke afsluttet, men den seneste kvoteforhøjelse på narhval i Grønland vil ikke hjælpe på situationen.
New whale quoats may harm the image of Greenland
Thursday 08. December 2005, 08:26 hrs
By: Radioavisen www.knr.gl
The increase of the Narwhal quota approved by the government the other day may have a negative impact on Greenland’s image abroad. Especially within the whale organisations where Greenland have a seat.
When we asked Amalie Jessen director of the Homerule Ministry of Hunting and Fishing about this she explains that the decision may have consequenses in CITES, The Joint Commission on Belugas and Narwhals and Nammco. Here the member states still discuss whether the narwhal catch is to high or not.
IWC has in addition before threatened to take over the management of the small cetaceans if the member states were incapable to do this themselves.
If CITES make drastic decisions about the Greenlandic Narwhals it will have also an effect on Canada that have shared populations with Greenland.
CITES Animals Committee that monitors the trade with endangered species decided this Spring to initiate an investigation into the state of the Narwhals in Greenland and Canada. This process is not concluded yet but the recent raise of the Narwhal quota in Greenland will not help.
Ny hvalkvoter kan skade Grønlands image
Torsdag 08. december 2005 kl. 08:26
Af: Radioavisen www.knr.gl
Udvidelsen af narhvalskvoten, som landsstyret vedtog forleden, kan få en negativ indflydelse på Grønlands image ude i verden. Og ikke mindst i de hval-organisationer, som Grønland er repræsenteret i.
Adspurgt om dette forklarer direktør i Fangst- og Fiskeridirektoratet, Amalie Jessen, at det i sær kan gå hen og få konsekvenser i CITES, Fælleskommissionen om hvid- og narhvaler og NAMMCO, hvor medlemslandene stadig diskuterer hvorvidt narhvalfangster er for høje eller ej.
Desuden har IWC før truet lande med at overtage forvaltningen af småhvaler, hvis landene viste tegn på at de ikke selv formåede at gøre det.
Og sker der drastiske beslutninger om Grønlands narhvaler i Cites-regi, får det en afsmittende virkning i Canada, som Grønland deler narhvalbestande med.
CITES´ Animal Committee, der fører tilsyn med truede dyrearter på grund af handel, beordrede i foråret igangsættelse af en omfattende undersøgelse af narhvalens tilstand, både i Grønland og Canada. Denne proces er endnu ikke afsluttet, men den seneste kvoteforhøjelse på narhval i Grønland vil ikke hjælpe på situationen.
New whale quoats may harm the image of Greenland
Thursday 08. December 2005, 08:26 hrs
By: Radioavisen www.knr.gl
The increase of the Narwhal quota approved by the government the other day may have a negative impact on Greenland’s image abroad. Especially within the whale organisations where Greenland have a seat.
When we asked Amalie Jessen director of the Homerule Ministry of Hunting and Fishing about this she explains that the decision may have consequenses in CITES, The Joint Commission on Belugas and Narwhals and Nammco. Here the member states still discuss whether the narwhal catch is to high or not.
IWC has in addition before threatened to take over the management of the small cetaceans if the member states were incapable to do this themselves.
If CITES make drastic decisions about the Greenlandic Narwhals it will have also an effect on Canada that have shared populations with Greenland.
CITES Animals Committee that monitors the trade with endangered species decided this Spring to initiate an investigation into the state of the Narwhals in Greenland and Canada. This process is not concluded yet but the recent raise of the Narwhal quota in Greenland will not help.
WWF: - Ingen klog beslutning
Verdensnaturfonden, WWF i København, har også fulgt med i landsstyrets overvejelser om kvoten for narhvaler i Vestgrønland. Arktisk medarbejder Anne-Marie Bjerg synes ikke, at forhøjelsen af kvoten med 50 narhvaler er nogen klog beslutning. Det begrunder hun sådan her: - Fordi narhvalbestanden er for nedadgående. I forvejen var kvoten på 260 hvaler, og det er meget i forhold til, hvad der var anbefalet af eksperter. Når man så sætter den op med yderligere 50, så er det klart, at hvis man sigter på at gøre fangsten bæredygtig, så opnår man i hvert fald det modsatte. Om fangernes meldinger om, at der er rigtig mange hvaler i øjeblikket, siger Anne-Marie Bjerg: - Det er klart, at det er den oplevelse, man får, hvis hvalerne samler sig i flokke. Det betyder ikke nødvendigvis, at der er blevet flere hvaler. Det ville være mærkeligt, eftersom der er talt hvaler i mange år. Anne-Marie Bjerg er også kritisk over for den anden del af landsstyrets beslutning. Nemlig den at en ubrugt kvote på 92 hvidhvaler i de nordligste kommuner flyttes sydpå til kommunerne fra Uummannaq til Maniitsoq. - Det er ikke uproblematisk. Det er nemlig ikke nødvendigvis de samme hvaler, der fanges, så det kan gå ud over flokke, som der i forvejen er tyndet kraftigt ud i, siger den arktiske medarbejder. Vi spurgte hende også, hvem hun tror, der ved mest om bestanden af hvaler? Fangerne – eller biologerne, der kun ser dem af til? - Jeg tror helt klart, at når det handler om at tælle hvaler og vide noget om deres biologi, så ved biologerne mest. Når det handler om at fange hvaler, så er jeg ikke i tvivl om, at fangerne ved mest, siger Anne-Marie Bjerg. |
WWF: - No wise decision
WWF in Copenhagen has also followed the considerations in the government about the quota for Narwhals in West Greenland. About the hunter's claims about the plentifull whales - It is obvious an impression you may get when the whales gathers in big groups. But it does not mean that the whales suddenly has become more abundant. That would be a surprise since counts has been going on for several years. - This is not without problems. It is not necessary the same whales that will be caught. Thus, hunting may take place on groups that are already seriously depleted, says the Arctic officer. We also asked her who she believes that know most about the whales? The hunters – or the biologists that only see the whales once a while? - I am convinced that when it comes to counting of whales and knowledge about their biology, the biologists have the best knowledge. But when it comes to hunting the whales I clearly think that the hunters are most knowledgable, says |
Finn Karlsen: Hvalkvoterne udvidet
Et enigt landsstyre besluttede i går eftermiddags at udvide kvoten for narhvaler. Det sker i strid med den biologiske rådgivning. Narhvalkvoten udvides med 50 stk. fra nu af og til 30. juni, og den skal deles af kommunerne fra Uummannaq til Disko. Kvoten på 260 narhvaler var i forvejen overskredet. For hvidhvaler har landsstyret flyttet en kvote på 92, som ikke er fanget i Nordgrønland, til fire kommuner fra Uummannaq til Maniitsoq. Ligesom for narhvalerne gælder kvoten frem til 30. juni. - I løbet af februar-marts vil vi igen overveje fangsten af nar- og hvidhvaler, siger landsstyremedlem for fangst og fiskeri, Finn Karlsen. |
Finn Karlsen: Whaling quotas raised
A united government decided yesterday afternoon the raise the Narwhal hunting quota. The decision is in contradiction with the biological recommendations.
The Narwhal quota is raised by 50 from now and until 30th June [2006] and will be divided among the municipalities from Uummannaq to Disco. The quota at 260 Narwhals was already exceeded.
Concerning the Belugas the government decided to move an unused quota of North Greenland at 92 whales to the four municipalities from Uummannaq to Maniitsoq. As with the narwhals this quota is also valid until 30th June.- In February-March we will again reconsider the hunting of Narwhals and Belugas, says Homerule Minister for Hunting and Fishery, Finn Karlsen. |
Stå fast ved hvalkvoter
Landstingsmedlem og politisk ordfører for Demokraterne, I den seneste tid har 8 vestgrønlandske kommuner netop krævet højere fangstkvoter for nar- og hvidhval, fordi to af kommunerne har opbrugt deres kvoter. - Det nye landsstyre skal naturligvis stå fast ved de kvoter, som allerede er fastsat. Ellers kommer vi igen ud på den glidebane, der tidligere har sat Grønlands internationale ry og rygte over styr, når det gælder fangst og jagt, siger - Vi må heller ikke glemme, at EU allerede har forbudt al kommerciel import fra Grønland af husflid fra narhval. Det er jo en klar melding til Grønland om, at EU mener, Grønland bedriver rovfangst på narhvalerne. - Hvis Landsstyret bøjer sig for borgmestrene, fortsætter |
Stick to the whale quota
MP and political spokesman for the Democrats Lately, eight West Greenlandic municipalities has demanded a higher quota since two of them had used up their quotas. - The new government must of course stick to the the quotas that has already been set. Otherwise we will again end on the slippery road were we earlier expereinced to have our image damaged when it comes to hunting and whaling, says - We must not forget that EU already has banned commercial import from Greenland of souvenirs made from Narwhals. This should be a clear message to Greenland that EU find the Greenlandic hunt excessive. - If the government give in for the pressure from the mayors EU may very well decide to close all import of products from the endangerede mammals living in Greenland. If this happens the souvenir shops and the artists will loose a tourist trade worth millions, says |