Austfjordneset
The trapper station at Austfjordneset in inner Wijdefjord may be opened again for trappers in autumn 2014. Until 2 years ago, the station, which has a comparatively long history and is now owned by the Sysselmannen, was open for use for hunters who would stay at least one year to hunt mainly polar fox and reindeer on a professional basis. The station was then closed for reasons that are somewhat unclear. Initially, it was stated that the operation required too much of the Sysselmannen’s resources, a reasoning that was difficult to follow: the maintenance was carried out anyway regardless of potential private use (and private users would actually contribute to maintenance) and the respective users would essentially be responsible for their own logistics and expenses (although it was custom that the Sysselmannen offered transportation with their vessel Nordsyssel, for example during the annual inspection trips in the late summer). In a recent press release, attention was rather drawn to inventory work on nearby historical sites and the local reindeer populations and their recovery from earlier hunting.
The regulation for professional hunting in Spitsbergen is currently being revised. The intention is to provide a framework to keep a tradition of professional all-year hunting alive while not putting any pressure on local animal populations. There are currently 3 privately owned trapper stations in use for professional hunting: Kapp Schollin in Bellsund, Farmhamna in Forlandsund and Kapp Wijk in Isfjord.
The trapper station at Austfjordneset, inner Wijdefjord.
Source: Sysselmannen
← Back
BOOKS, CALENDAR, POSTCARDS AND MORE
This and other publishing products of the Spitsbergen publishing house in the Spitsbergen-Shop.
last modification: 2014-07-01 ·
copyright: Rolf Stange