Reindeer Blog » Finnmark

More Wind Parks for Finnmark on Reindeer Pastures

Philip Burgess — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:10:42 +0000

Finnmark Kraft has been granted a licence to establish a new wind park on the Berlevag peninsula, where there is already a wind park. As many as 100 wind turbines could be established supplying up to 300 MW. The company have been reluctant to estimate how many towers they would build in the past, as when numbers were estimated for the Kvalsund region, reindeer herders objected.

John Masvik, CEO of Finnmark Kraft, stated in Finnmarken newspaper,

There were strong views in reindeer herding, one might say. We have learned from this, and it is important for us to enter into dialogue with them as quickly as possible

This would occur after the current autumn migrations are completed, by November and December. The regional administration are extremely keen for the development to proceed.

Source – Finnmarken

Debate on Mining in Finnmark Heats Up

Philip Burgess — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:52:24 +0000

(Map shows the mining claims in Kvalsund, an area important to migratory reindeer husbandry in Northern Norway, source: NGU) According to an article on TV2, one of the largest networks in Norway, Finnmark is sitting on a potential ‘treasure trove’ of over 1 billion NOK of valuable minerals and including cooper, gold, iron ore and valuable natural stones.

Helga Pedersen, deputy leader of the governing Labour Party was quoted as saying,

We are for mineral exploration in Inner Finnmark – But it’s not that we can say yes all, everywhere and at any price. We must also develop this industry and take account of the environment and to those on the plateau before (mining)

Here she is of course referring to the indigenous Sami, many of whom (especially reindeer herders) have been critical of the current ‘gold rush’ for minerals that is occurring in Finnmark. Surprisingly perhaps, Pedersen herself is of Sami ancestry and she has been a vigorous supporter of developing mining in the county. Legal researcher, Øyvind Ravna is quoted in the article as saying,

A charge should be introduced which would provide direct compensation to the indigenous Sami people if they are to accept such activities in their core areas

Ravna pointed to the activities of some mining ventures in Canada where First Nations are compensated directly for mining activity on their land. Pedersen is quick to rule out talk of compensation for mining for the Sami, which would be very unpopular among many Norwegian communities,

Meanwhile, in the regional media, the County Mayor of Finnmark is quoted as saying that people are getting angry that mining is being held up,

For far too long there has been talk of the great riches found in the county and how many jobs a new mining industry can provide. Now is the time that they should be realized otherwise people will become frustrated and eventually angry

Reindeer Ferry Warming Up in Norway

Philip Burgess — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:18:48 +0000

In northern Norway, summer pastures for reindeer are often located on the coastal islands of Finnmark and Troms counties. Traditionally, reindeer swim across from the mainland to the islands but with increasing pasture losses and migratory route fragmentation, since the early 1970s, many herders use a reindeer ‘ferry’ to transport reindeer over distances that have now become too far to swim (reindeer are exellent swimmers).

Reindeer ferry season is about to begin this year on April 20th from Balnes in Balsfjord and some 15,000 reindeer from 20 reindeer herding districts will make the ferry ride by May 9th. National Geographic featured a short article on this unusual form of transport in collaboration with the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry which you can read here.

Source: LMD

Reindeer Deaths on the Roads – Blame Salt? (Norway)

Philip Burgess — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:22:39 +0000

At this time of year, large migrations of reindeer are underway in northern Norway. This means the crossing of roads, several of which are busy and driving conditions at this time of year are challenging. There have been several accounts of reindeer being hit by cars, which is nearly always fatal to reindeer.

Some have claimed that the deaths are caused by the salting of roads, which attracts reindeer as salt is something they crave. Salt has been mentioned as a cause in the Skiboth valley. However, Ole Mathis Eira, a herder from Kautokeino and a board member of the NRL/NBR stated to Finnmark Dagblad that the real problem is the fact that roads transect all the pastures. Eira has already lost 10, but some winters loses as many as 70. Not all accidents are reported, as drivers pay compensation to reindeer herders from their insurance.

According to the reindeer police, the most dangerous sections of road are Olderfjord-Kåfjord, Soulovuobme-Stornes, Kautokeino-Finland, Gievdnjegoikka-Suosjavrre, Kvalsund-Hammerfest and Kåfjord-Langfjordbotn, most of which are in West Finnmark.

Sami traditions, Norwegian Law

Philip Burgess — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:19:15 +0000

(Pic. Finnmark Dagblad) Today the Supreme court in Norway will hear the question as to how best to kill a reindeer, as reported in Finnmark Dagblad. The case goes back to 2005, when a reindeer herder in the Kvalsund area killed a reindeer by inserting a knife directly into a reindeer’s heart which, the herder argued through his lawyer was an age old customary tradition. The herder was acquitted in the Inner Finnmark tingrett, but was sentenced in the Hålogaland lagmannsrett and found to have infringed the Animal Act. As a result he was fined 5000 NOK (570 Euros). The law states that the animal should be unconscious before death or it will suffer unnecessarily.

You can read the Hålogaland decision here (Norwegian)

At the time, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority stated their satisfaction with the ruling,

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is satisfied that the decision in the lagmann is so unambiguous and clear.There can no longer be any doubt that the Animal Act requirement also applies to the killing of reindeer. We expect that this verdict will help to end any other illegal ways to kill reindeer.

The knife into the heart method is not uncommon for reindeer peoples around the world (for example Chukotka), as peoples have used different methods to kill reindeer in different regions. The Reindeer Portal and Reindeer Blog will continue to follow this story.

Reindeer Mix Up

Philip Burgess — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:27:07 +0000

(Pic – Johan Mathis Gaup) NRK has been full of a story this week that is just south of Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu. This is the time of year that reindeer herds are migrated back to the interior and their winter pastures, as the temperature drops. Two large herds have become mixed together – in total about 23,000 animals that belong to the reindeer herding districts Orda and Lákkonjárga (30/31) in the Guovdajohtolat (Middle Zone). The Reinpolitiet (established in 1950, a branch of the Norwegian Police that deals with reindeer husbandry) have been called in, though there is disagreement as to who called them, and they are now observing the situation. Concerns have been raised as to police presence, the impact on pastures of so many animals in one place and as to how this could have happened in the first place.

“Viagra has Destroyed Everything”..(and other News from Finnmark)

Philip Burgess — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:09:05 +0000

Reindeer Antlers : Sales Drooping

So said reindeer herder Johan Mikkel Haetta as he complained that the bottom has fallen out of the reindeer antler market. Used in the large market in the Far East for aphrodisiacs, reindeer antlers have been an important supplemental source of income for reindeer herders (especially in parts of Russia). The availability of synthetic aphrodisiacs such as Viagra has had a major negative impact on the market.

Fences are in the news in Finnmark, as it has been estimated that there are as much as 600 km of illegal fencing in the county that the Reindeer Husbandry Administration is in the process of removing. Politicians in Karasjok say the work is not progressing fast enough, while reindeer herders are quoted as being reluctant to remove them as they are a great help with herd management. In Northern Finnmark, reindeer herding district 13 are attempting to ensure that a planned road will avoid an important calving district. In Oslo, last week, farmers and reindeer herders met in an attempt to maintain dialogue in order to avoid a repeat performance of the conflict this year (5 reindeer were shot on the grounds of a farm in Alta). Finnish farmers are also reported to be considering shooting at reindeer that cross the border from Norway, which has prompted the head of the reindeer herding administration to initiate dialogue.

Elsewhere, it looks like the 2018 Winter Olympics will not be held in Tromso, as fears about escalating costs and a thumbs down from the Sports Board. Arild Pettersen Inga, the area leader for the Troms district for one thought that this was a lost opportunity for reindeer husbandry to get some positive press coverage for a change.

Mining Talk Heats up in Finnmark

Philip Burgess — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:27:18 +0000

Gold, copper and platinum fever continue to pass over Finnmark. Test cores in Kvalsund had chief geologist Kjell Nilsen enthusing

This is Norway’s largest copper find…We’re talking about billions. With today’s prices, we have found values of between eight and ten billion kroner (1.25 bn Euros)

Other materials in a 6 kilometre ridge include platinum, silver and gold. Nilsen told Finnnmark Dagblad said Nussir ASA intends to apply for permission to extract the minerals and if successful, production might start in year 2011, he adds. This is an area of reindeer husbandry and herders have already expressed their concerns about mining activity, as reported in the Reindeer Blog and in NRK, where herder Berit Kristine Hætta stated that reindeer need peace in this area after calving, a claim questioned by a Nussir spokesperson.

Meanwhile, in Karasjok, Store Norsk Gull are drilling 15 test holes (in their search for gold) in Ráitevárri and Rivkkaoggi (the heart of the winter pastures in this area) and reindeer herders are not happy about it, as reported in NRK yesterday.

In a letter to the Områdestyret for East Finnmark reindeer herders Lars Larsen Anti, Marit Kirsten Anti Gaup og Samuel John L. Anti wrote that the company has made no attempt to dialogue with them

This has not happened, and, therefore, we require full stop of the business until Store Norske Gold have met with us and clarified their activities in the area. We demand direct negotiations and clarification from the company.

The reindeer herders are considering engaging a lawyer if activities are not halted.

IGE Nordic Mining Plans in Ábborášša Reindeer District, Kautokeino

Philip Burgess — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:47:00 +0000

IGE Nordic, the daughter company of mining giant International Gold Exploration unveiled their plans for the former gold mine of Biedjovággi, 40 km West of Kautokeino. IGE Nordic visited Kautokeino last week having meetings with the municipality and reindeer herders from the Ábborášša reindeer herding district in whose area the mine is to be redeveloped. In an interview with NRK Sami Radio, Frederic Bratt, IGE Nordic Director said,

Biedjovággi is one of our three highest priority projects

They could be up and running within months. 50 work places were spoken of, lasting 20 years, with estimates of three tonnes of gold available for mining. IGE were recently listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and are active in reopening the Stekenjokk mine in Sweden (a Zinc and Copper Ore mine that operated between 1976-1988), which would have negative consequences for Vilhelmina Södra and Frostviken Norra Saami communities, according to Rebecca Lawrence of the Saami Council.

Henrik A. Sara, leader of the Ábborášša reindeer herding district said in the interview

We don’t want mining…we are aleady pressed for space in our district