The following is a presentation by Greenland's Fisheries Minister Ane Hansen at the intersessional meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to address Greenland aboriginal subsistence quotas, March 2010, in Tampa, USA.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to make a presentation here at the intersessional meeting of the International Whaling Commission addressing Greenland's aboriginal subsistence quotas. Before the power point presentation presenting the Greenlandic proposal to the schedule amendment, I have a message to make.
I have come to this meeting today to underline the importance of my country's commitment in international and regional management organisations. I have the clear opinion that challenges and problems have to be sorted out within the relevant organisations by equal dialogue and mutual understanding between involved parties.
Ever since I became Minister for Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture in June
2009, I have advocated intensively for increased sustainable use of all living resources in Greenland, based on sound biological advice. I have also advocated the importance of listening to what national and international organisations have to say. We have to learn to listen to each other and most importantly to trust each other and respect each other's differences.
I would also like to stress the importance of a sound ecosystem based management of all living resources. The increasing numbers of whales and seals in our seas are the biggest competitors to our fishermen and hunters.
On top of that Greenland is also severely affected by decisions and domestic politics in the EU. The effect of the trade ban of seal products is one example. Even with the so-called Inuit exemption in the ban the decision has already destroyed our sealskin market.
I have stressed in my speeches that in our effort to implement self-governance in Greenland it will be necessary for us to fully utilise all resources we can get, including all landed animals. All raw materials have to be utilised in an effective manner and in a high level so we can limit the import of western food, and in that way participate in the reduction of CO2 emissions. By higher level of utilisation and increased manufacturing of our own resources, we will also reduce and limit modern life style deceases that are occurring more and more in Greenland.
Our traditional food has been evaluated by medical doctors and other scientists. The scientists recommended Inuit not to reduce or stop eating traditional food because these products are healthier than industrialised and imported food.
I have the clear position that shared stocks should be dealt with by appropriate international and regional organisations, and that their decisions should be based on sound biological advice and that whaling operations should be properly regulated and conducted in an effective manner in relation to killing methods. All those and other requirements that have been raised over the years have been fulfilled by Greenland for years now. What we find problematic is that some keep trying to find new excuses not to meet our request.
Some parties and groups are questioning the money involvement in the hunt. All activities today involve money. Without money we will not be able to conduct a proper kill of the whales. But, I can assure you that no one can become millionaire with whaling activity in Greenland. In case of any surplus from the hunt, this will be used to maintain the hunting gear. The limited sizes of quotas mean also that no whale hunter can exist only being a whale hunter.
I would like to make a reference to the 2007 UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and in particularly the articles concerning the rights to determine their own identity and membership as well as their self determination and their own means of subsistence and economic and social development. I am afraid that the UN Declaration will be violated if we cannot reach a solution at this meeting.
Greenland is a country of contrasts. We have culture and traditions that go 4000 years back in time. The Greenlandic society is also part of the modern and developing world today, where we on June 21, 2009, gained Self Governance. It means, for instance, that we are and will be highly depending on our own natural resources, including the marine resources. It also means that we have to continue our focus on and to take care of the great nature and its richness on a higher level, so future generations can benefit from these in a sustainable manner.
The term sustainability has not been created for fun or by the UN or other international organisations. This has existed ever since people have been depended on natural resources. The term has maybe been defined differently from time to time from group to group. For instance the lack of oil in the European countries in the 17th and 18th century nearly caused the depletion of many large whale stocks. Today we see that European countries are the most eager, "to save the whales". This is fine. However, they have to be aware of the situation that they are the people who nearly depleted the whale stocks in our areas. It is therefore not fair, that some have an exaggerated attitude towards us.
The whaling nations are conducting whaling according to the precautionary principle and all whaling nations have appropriate management measures.
I have with regret observed the current development in Europe, where a few countries within the EU are in the process of destroying the possibility of the IWC to live up to its convention. This initiative will have severe negative consequences for our hunters, their families and their livelihood.
An international organisation set up for the management and conservation of the world's whale stocks should not let petty domestic politics get in the way of making the right decision. An organisation like the IWC should be able to:
In the case that the member countries of the IWC can not differentiate between domestic politics and the convention, Greenland has difficulty seeing its future in the IWC and questions its membership in this organisation. I have concern for the remaining countries receiving their aboriginal subsistence quotas at the IWC. Because any of what has happened to Greenland the last couple of years can very well happen to them as well. Without Greenland and the other aboriginal societies, the IWC has lost its reason for existence and credibility.
The IWC Scientific Committee had in 2008 approved estimates of abundance for humpback whales off West Greenland. This information demonstrates that a new quota of humpback whales clearly lies within the limits, as specified by the scientific committee. We will at the same time request an adjustment of the quota of minke whales off West Greenland in order to respect the findings of the committee.
I hope you will make a sound decision on humpback whales.
Thank you for your attention.
Ane Hansen
Minister of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture
