Extraordinary help for hunters in Ittoqqortoormiit

After prolonged pressure from both political parties, the fishing and hunting organization KNAPK and its branch in Ittoqqortoormiit, Naalakkersuisut is giving in and providing much-needed assistance to commercial hunters in Ittoqqortoormiit. 

The local commercial hunters and their families in Ittoqqortoormiit can now breathe a sigh of relief – at least for a short while – after Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg, Demokraatit, has decided to allocate a total of five narwhals to hunters of the unused narwhal quota from 2024 in the Kangerlussuaq area, which will be transferred to the quota for 2025, so that the hunter families can get a fresh supply of meat.

The local businessmen

In addition, persons with a commercial hunting license are granted a maximum of two musk oxen per person, which can be caught over a two-week period from July 15 to July 31.

The local commercial hunters and their families in Ittoqqortoormiit can now breathe a sigh of relief – at least for a short while – after Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg, Demokraatit, has decided to allocate a total of five narwhals to hunters of the unused narwhal quota from 2024 in the Kangerlussuaq area, which will be transferred to the quota for 2025, so that the hunter families can get a fresh supply of meat.

The local businessmenAnnouncement

In addition, persons with a commercial hunting license are granted a maximum of two musk oxen per person, which can be caught over a two-week period from July 15 to July 31.

The quota is taken from the total annual quota.

Therefore, after considerable pressure from the political side, the Government gives KNAPK and its local branch in Ittoqqortoormiit to allocate an additional humpback whale quota

This extraordinary measure for commercial hunters in Ittoqqortoormiit is due, according to Naalakkersuisut, to give the hunters’ families the opportunity to be self-sufficient in the current difficult situation.

In addition, Peter Borg is in written dialogue with the mayor of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq Avaaraq Olsen, Inuit Ataqatigiit, about other remedial measures and long-term solution options, according to the Naalakkersuisut press release on Tuesday this week.

Sender stikpille 

Despite this initiative, Mette Pike Barselajsen from Ittoqqortoormiit, who is a member of the municipal council of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, sends a compliment to Naalakkersuisut for their handling of the difficult situation that has brought the fishing industry to its knees.

– It is of course very pleasing that Naalakkersuit is allocating five narwhals and two musk oxen per trapper for July, however we must remember that this is only a short-term solution and that the modest quotas are hardly enough to maintain the trapper industry in Ittoqqortoormiit for a long time.

– The Greenland Government has long been aware of the existing difficult conditions that the prisoner families live under, and yet it should take so long before they come to their senses, says Mette Pike Barselajsen.

One of the long-term solutions, according to her, is for the Danish Institute of Natural Resources to initiate better cooperation with local hunters when conducting counts of narwhal populations, which according to locals are found in different species groups.

Skuffet

The leading figure in the hunters’ association in Ittoqqortoormiit, Åge Hammeken Danielsen, is pleased that local hunters can go out hunting again – at least for a while, he says.

– Two musk oxen per trapper will have a very great significance for the trapper families, but on the other hand it is very disappointing that only five narwhals have been allocated, which will only benefit some trapper families, but not all.

– We applied for an additional narwhal quota of 20 immediately after the annual quota was used up on a single hunting trip in May, which we were unfortunately denied, he says.

He also finds it difficult to understand that it took so long before, according to him, Naalakkersuisut understood the seriousness of the situation in Ittoqqortoormiit.

The local commercial hunters and their families in Ittoqqortoormiit can now breathe a sigh of relief – at least for a short while – after Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg, Demokraatit, has decided to allocate a total of five narwhals to hunters of the unused narwhal quota from 2024 in the Kangerlussuaq area, which will be transferred to the quota for 2025, so that the hunter families can get a fresh supply of meat.

The local businessmen

In addition, persons with a commercial hunting license are granted a maximum of two musk oxen per person, which can be caught over a two-week period from July 15 to July 31.

The local commercial hunters and their families in Ittoqqortoormiit can now breathe a sigh of relief – at least for a short while – after Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg, Demokraatit, has decided to allocate a total of five narwhals to hunters of the unused narwhal quota from 2024 in the Kangerlussuaq area, which will be transferred to the quota for 2025, so that the hunter families can get a fresh supply of meat.

The local businessmenAnnouncement

In addition, persons with a commercial hunting license are granted a maximum of two musk oxen per person, which can be caught over a two-week period from July 15 to July 31.

The quota is taken from the total annual quota.

The Government hereby agrees, after considerable pressure from the political side, KNAPK and its local branch in Ittoqqortoormiit to allocate an additional humpback whale quota

This extraordinary measure for commercial hunters in Ittoqqortoormiit is due, according to Naalakkersuisut, to give the hunters’ families the opportunity to be self-sufficient in the current difficult situation.

In addition, Peter Borg is in written dialogue with the mayor of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq Avaaraq Olsen, Inuit Ataqatigiit, about other remedial measures and long-term solution options, according to the Naalakkersuisut press release on Tuesday this week.

Sender stikpille 

Despite this initiative, Mette Pike Barselajsen from Ittoqqortoormiit, who is a member of the municipal council of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, sends a compliment to Naalakkersuisut for their handling of the difficult situation that has brought the fishing industry to its knees.

– It is of course very pleasing that Naalakkersuit is allocating five narwhals and two musk oxen per trapper for July, however we must remember that this is only a short-term solution and that the modest quotas are hardly enough to maintain the trapper industry in Ittoqqortoormiit for a long time.

– The Greenland Government has long been aware of the existing difficult conditions that the prisoner families live under, and yet it should take so long before they come to their senses, says Mette Pike Barselajsen.

One of the long-term solutions, according to her, is for the Danish Institute of Natural Resources to initiate better cooperation with local hunters when conducting counts of narwhal populations, which according to locals are found in different species groups.

Skuffet

The leading figure in the hunters’ association in Ittoqqortoormiit, Åge Hammeken Danielsen, is pleased that local hunters can go out hunting again – at least for a while, he says.

– Two musk oxen per trapper will have a very great significance for the trapper families, but on the other hand it is very disappointing that only five narwhals have been allocated, which will only benefit some trapper families, but not all.

– We applied for an additional narwhal quota of 20 immediately after the annual quota was used up on a single hunting trip in May, which we were unfortunately denied, he says.

He also finds it difficult to understand that it took so long before, according to him, Naalakkersuisut understood the seriousness of the situation in Ittoqqortoormiit.