Greenland backtracks on ban

GREENLAND MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, HUNTING AND AGRICULTURE PRESS RELEASE

MAY 19, 2006

Greenlandic government cancels recommendation not to buy Canadian seal skins

On 19 May 2006, the Greenland Home Rule Government decided to cancel the recommendation of 6 January 2006 made to Great Greenland A/S regarding a provisional stop on purchases of Canadian seal skin.

The Home Rule Government assessed that the company should regain full freedom of action in its efforts to make optimum use of its tannery capacity, a necessity for generating a profit. In recent years, capacity at the tannery in Qaqortoq has increased to 150,000 skins annually, an increase needed to keep the company competitive on the world market. As a supplement to the purchases in Greenland, Great Greenland A/S should consequently be allowed to buy Canadian skins again - if required. At the end of April, purchases in Greenland were 10% below the 2005 level.

Recent years’ purchases have shown that Greenlandic supplies of seal skins may fluctuate substantially from year to year, for which reason Great Greenland A/S should be able to use Canadian skins as a supplement in the years when stocks cannot be replenished by Greenlandic skins. The weather in particular greatly affects the size of Greenlandic skin purchases, and here purchases of Canadian skins may help ensure stable supplies to the tannery, and thus help maintain and improve the company’s competitiveness. A solid financial basis also enables the company to service Greenland’s seal hunters by maintaining the number of purchasing places and offering reasonable prices for the skins.

The Home Rule Ministry of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture has always followed the debate on Canadian seal hunting closely and opines that Canada has sensible regulations on hunting methods, drawn up in close cooperation with biologists, veterinarians, weapons experts and seal hunters. The hunting of seals in Canada is subject to strict and extensive control measures, which has lead to the use of effective and humane killing methods, approved by the NAMMCO member countries.

The use of seals as a resource is widely based on economically and biologically sustainable principles, for which reason it is recommended that buying Canadian skins should be allowed again. In this respect, it is also paramount that Greenland and Canada join forces to maintain and develop seal hunting in remote coastal communities where alternative income opportunities are limited.

Yours faithfully

Finn Karlsen
Minister for Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture

For more information, call Amalie Jessen, Deputy Minister, on Tel. +299 34 53 04.

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