People say that no matter what the debate in the Greenlandic parliament, the politicians always end up talking about fish. Fishing dominates Greenland’s economy, accounting for about 90% of the revenue. This is a bad position to be in, in a changing climate, as the Government of Greenland well knows. And thus, they are looking to expand both tourism and mining to diversify the economy. But the fact remains that these are fledgling industries, growing only incrementally, and Greenland continues to rely on fish.
But despite the fact that the ease of recreational fishing appears to indicate bountiful stocks, times are quickly changing. New, warmer-water species, like mackerel, have been moving north into Greenlandic waters. And the colder water fish are also moving north. Fishermen from central west Greenland are moving to settlements further up the coast, following the halibut. In the face of this, the powerful Fishers and Hunters Association have lobbied the Government for increased quotas to meet the needs of the fishermen who are struggling – in the face of changing conditions – to maintain their catches and thus their livelihood. But the scientists advise the opposite. The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources – set up by the Government in part to study and advise on fish stocks – reports to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), which is in charge of ensuring the long term sustainable use of fishing resources. NAFO’s scientific council advises the Government of Greenland on the total allowable catch. It’s up to the government to decide whether to accept these recommendations and on how to split this into quotas. For several years, the advice from NAFO has been to reduce the total allowable catch for inshore stocks of halibut, which makes up a significant part of Greenland’s fishery. That advice has not been heeded. In fact, the government increased the quota for halibut just a few weeks ago.
But now the talk is over. It’s crunch time. Last week a perhaps unlikely player in this fragile game dealt a sudden death blow to at least part of the fisheries. The Bank of Greenland announced that they would no longer loan money to the private fishermen in the Disko Bay area who form a significant part of the industry. Their reason? The fish are gone. Halibut have all but disappeared from the Disko Bay region. The majority of those caught this year, and in the last couple of years, were too small to land. The Bank of Greenland’s conclusion is that halibut fishing in the Disko region is no longer financially or environmentally viable. Now, finally, the Government is planning to decrease quotas and licences.
All this time, the fish have been fighting for survival in a changing physical environment, and against a predator who rejects science as a guiding principle. Now we respond to the one thing that resonates with everyone – the politicians, the business sector, and the individual fisherman out there in an open boat trying to make a living. Money.
