Nikoline Ziemer – Scientist at the Greenland Insitute of Natural Resources

Nuuk – Latitude 64° 10’ N – Longitude 051° 44’ W

18,000 inhabitants

Interviewed in September 2010

Currently, the shrimp represents 60 to 70 % of the resources of our country. Shrimps are species which live in deep water, on sea bed. They may leave the sea bed but do not get close to the surface. Indirectly they are affected by the temperature of the sea which is getting warmer. They are directly dependent on the number of their predator, mainly cods and halibuts. We notice a direct relation between the increase of these predators and the decrease of the number of shrimps. At the moment, in 2010, due to overfishing, the number of cods is relatively low. Unlike shrimp stocks that reach very high levels.

I am vigilant with regard to industrialization in Greenland. The mines open and the oil arrives. I hope that history will not repeat itself, and that these events will not occur without the involvement of the people of Greenland, as was the case in the 50s and 60, where we stood as spectators of to our own development.