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Greenland:
Sealskin Imports, Seal Meat Exports

04.09.1997;
Greenland plans to import sealskins for processing and re- export, and has also begun promoting the export of seal meat to the Far East. Initially, the plan involves buying 10,000 skins from overseas, “a purely commercial standpoint,” says a representative of the Great Greenland fur company. The export of seal meat will “provide an opportunity to industrialise the hunting trade,” says Prime Minister Lars Emil Johansen.

It is the first time the Greenland Home Rule Government has given the Great Greenland fur company permission to import seal skins. The Home Rule Government has sanctioned the initiative on the condition that the skins are not used in Greenland, i.e. that they must be re-exported. Thus, the import authorisation will not affect buying within Greenland. “If we can buy skins overseas and resell them for a profit, then, depending on market prices, this should be a healthy business proposition. We see overseas buying from a purely commercial standpoint,” said managing director Poul Klents of the Great Greenland to the newspaper “Sermitsiak” on August 29.

The Great Greenland tanning plant in Qaqortoq has stepped up production in order to meet the increasing demand for skins. This year, production will exceed 75,000 skins and M.D. Klents expects it to reach almost 100,000 next year. The annual catch of seals numbers approximately 150,000-170,000. The most probable market is Canada, where sealing has increased considerably, and now accounts for way in excess of 200,000 seals a year.

In addition to the existing sealskin exports, Greenland also hopes to export seal meat, the sale of which today is limited to the domestic market. “Our main consideration is an improvement in conditions for the hunting trade. We intend to discard the romantic and traditional train of thought and provide an opportunity to industrialise the hunting trade,” Prime Minister Lars Emil Johansen explained this spring (“Sermitsiak”, May 2 1997) and went on to say, “we shall focus on improving the profits gained from seal products.”

“We cannot be the only people in the world that enjoy eating seal meat. On the markets in the Far East there is a lack of meat, and we’ve got it,” the Prime Minister said. He pointed out that, “we have two things, the seal meat, and a large potential market,” referring to the fact that in the Far East there is “a gigantic market for seal meat,” and that Greenland has a “gigantic, unexploited seal reserve.” The North West Atlantic stock of harp seals, whose whelping areas are off New Foundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is estimated at numbering around 5 million.

Greenland was severely paralysed by the campaigns against sealing, even though these campaigns were not, in fact, directed at Greenland, but primarily at the Canadian and Norwegian hunts. The US introduced a total ban on the import of seal skins, and the EU introduced a ban on the import of the skins of pups under the age of 3 months. These bans, together with massive boycott campaigns, led to the complete collapse of the EU market, including that of the skins from adult seals.

In order to reduce the extent of the damage caused by the anti-sealing campaigns, the Greenland authorities, amongst other things, decided to subsidise the buying of sealskins. In such a way, both the hunt and the production of seal products could be maintained. This policy has born fruit and Greenland is now ready to reap the benefits of the brighter market prospects for sealskins.

For further information please see the following documents:
Demand for Removal of US Marine Mammal Import Ban
Orsoq: Eat meat and Blubber from Sea Mammals and Avoid Cardiovascular Disease
Greenpeace damage control: A visit to Greenland
Greenepeace: Indigenous Hunts must be Non-commercial
Trade Barriers and The Indigenous Peoples’ Production

On a parallel note, I do not hear anyone complaining about the endangerment of the cod population. Why not? What about the caribou, the elk etc… Are they not cute enough. Let me tell you from experience that a seal is akin to a bear. If it is not killed quickly it can give a vicious bite.

What are the fishermen in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia doing these days? They are drilling for oil off shore and in Alberta. Now, how good that is for the planet?