Legal questions have successfully paused a controversial proposal in Greenland to pay local fishers to kill 1,000 Greenland sharks in the Avannaata municipality. Crews targeting halibut and cod in the region had argued that the large marine animals damage longlines and strip hooked fish, prompting the municipal board to approve a bounty. However, intervention from Greenland’s fisheries ministry brought the measure to a halt, citing concerns over its legal basis.
The suspended plan, initially approved by the Avannaata municipal board, offered a bounty of 300 Danish krone for each shark heart collected. Aimed primarily at reducing gear losses and financial damage in waters near Ilulissat, the initiative targeted a species that local small-scale fishers say disrupts their daily operations. Fishing remains a cornerstone of Greenland’s economy, accounting for approximately a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product.
Fritations Among Fishers and the Reality of Gear Loss
Fishers operating in remote Arctic communities face significant economic hurdles when commercial gear is damaged. Henrik Jensen, a 27-year-old fish harvester from Ilulissat who has fished for halibut for a decade, noted that entanglements can cause severe financial losses. According to Jensen, a single bad encounter with sharks can destroy thousands of hooks and cost fishers up to 30,000 Danish krone in a single day.
Timotheus Petersen, chair of the fishing association in Kullorsuaq, echoed these frustrations, explaining that a single longline costs 1,599 krone. When sharks cut the lines, fishers cannot finish their work and must absorb the heavy costs of purchasing replacement gear.
Despite these challenges, environmental organizations and marine scientists argue that sharks are not the sole cause of gear degradation. Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat (ONKN), a prominent marine conservation group, points out that harsh weather, strong currents, rocky seabeds, and abandoned ghost gear are more frequent contributors to lost equipment. Because Greenland sharks possess an extremely slow metabolism, researchers note they require very few calories, meaning a single fish can sustain them for days without requiring constant feeding on hooked catches.
Scientific Warnings Concerning the World’s Slowest Shark
The Greenland shark is among the least understood and most vulnerable species on the planet. Recognized as the world’s slowest shark and the second-largest carnivorous shark species after the white shark, it can grow up to seven meters in length and live for more than 400 years. However, these biological traits also make the population exceptionally fragile.
According to marine conservationist Professor Nick Dulvy of Simon Fraser University, Greenland sharks do not reach s*xual maturity until approximately 150 years of age. This delayed maturity means the species replaces itself at an extremely slow rate and cannot quickly rebound from a large-scale cull. The population is believed to still be recovering from heavy commercial fishing pressures during the 19th and mid-20th centuries.
Conservation groups also emphasized the migratory nature of the animals. Tagging studies have demonstrated that Greenland sharks can swim up to 2,000 kilometers a year. ONKN warned that removing sharks from northwest Greenland would simply result in individuals from other regions quickly moving in to replace them, rendering a municipal bounty structurally ineffective.
Looking Toward Long-Term, Science-Based Solutions
Following the suspension of the cull, stakeholders are shifting their focus toward sustainable alternatives to protect both local fisheries and marine biodiversity. Rebekka Nygård Bak, an adviser to Greenland’s Ministry of Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self Sufficiency, stated that new equipment regulations designed to be more bycatch-friendly could offer a viable path forward. Improved reporting mechanisms for bycatch are also being prioritized.
Industry groups and researchers have highlighted several alternative strategies:
- Gear-Loss Compensation: Financial support or programs aimed at recovering lost equipment to prevent ongoing gear entanglements.
- Ghost Gear Cleanup: Funding community initiatives, such as those supported by the processing company Halibut Greenland, to clear abandoned nets and lines.
- Shark Deterrents: Collaborative trials testing acoustic shark deterrents and modified longline materials, such as monofilament instead of nylon, to reduce bycatch.
- Data Collection: Partnering with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) to gather systematic data on bycatch hotspots and local shark populations.
Jenseeraq Poulsen, director of ONKN, emphasized that the underlying pressures facing Greenlandic fishers are structural rather than biological. With narrow profit margins, rising operational costs, and strict quotas, longstanding nuisances have become increasingly difficult to tolerate. Moving away from short-term bounties toward comprehensive, data-driven management plans remains essential for balancing the needs of the Arctic fishing community with the preservation of a vulnerable marine ecosystem.
