Food Policy and Economy

One of Greenland's main sources of food and income is the whaling industry. Traditionally, Inuit use the whale for many different things besides food. However, because of the extreme whaling practices that have been happening since the late 19th Century, the whale population has drastically diminished and policies have been put in place to prevent overfishing. This has affected the native population and how they eat. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has created a quota of whales for subsistence hunting. The country's population can hunt a certain amount of whales for cultural and nutritional needs but has been in violation of the quota because investigations have shown that there are tourists buying meat from sellers, which does not meet the guidelines set by the IWC.¹ Another policy the IWC has set includes a rollover policy from year to year. Every year, Greenlanders, receive a set amount of whales they can hunt. If they do not reach the quota, they can roll over up to a specific amount to the next year.² These different policies are there to protect and maintain the various whale populations while also supporting Greenland's cultures and traditions.

Seal hunting is another important part of life in Greenland. The country relies on this animal, among others, to have a stable economy. It also supports the country's Inuit community. The European Union has banned seal hunting which is devastating for the country because it is an important aspect of life. There is an exception to this ban, however, that allows for Inuit people to hunt the animal. Companies, such as Great Greenland, rely on seal hunting and the Inuit community for their business.³ They purchase verified seal pelts from hunters to create into jackets to sell commercially. This supports the Inuit still hunting and using the seal in their day-to-day life, without wasting any part of the animal. By doing this the company not only supports the Inuit people of Greenland, it also helps bolster the country's economy because it is based out of Greenland. By banning seal hunting is not only devastating to the community but can also hurt Greenland's economy and can possibly cause many different economic problems in the future.