Hammerfest, Black Rain, Reindeer and conflict
(Pic: Finnmark Dagblad)Statoil ‘bringing black rain to Hammerfest’ probably wasn’t the headlines that the oil major was hoping for days after production started at Snøhvit. Statoil’s communications Director claimed that it was ‘inevitable.’ Cars were black with soot from the plant, in what is also the summer pasture area for reindeer from inner Finnmark. Also in Hammerfest, with local election loomings, the local Labour Party has stated that reindeer that continue to come into the town should be killed, if steps are not taken by reindeer herders to remove them. The Head of the Reindeer Administration declined to comment. The issue of reindeer in Hammerfest in the summer has been a long running bone of contention between some town residents and reindeer herders as residents claim they are unsanitary and they also damage gardens. They are, however, very popular with tourists! In Kautokeino, 7000 reindeer have moved into an autumn pasture area and risk trampling the vegetation, according to a local reindeer husbandry agronomist.