The Sami villages receive predator compensation for every documented wolf den in their area. But the authorities have long wanted to change the system.
A wolverine inventory with DNA samples is believed to be more legally secure. Therefore, the County Administrative Board in Norrbotten started a pilot project to test this last winter.
“Picked up hundreds of shits”
Maskaure forest Sami village was one of a few Sami villages that decided to participate in the project. Instead of the usual lake hunting, where they looked for evidence of bastards, they therefore went last winter and picked droppings in the forests. They then sent everything they found to the County Administrative Board for DNA testing.
– We put in a lot of time and money and had quite a few people out to pick this crap. We probably picked about a hundred pieces of shit, says Peter Larsson, chairman of the Sami village.
During the course of the project, in addition to the droppings, they found at least one wolf den as well. But the County Administrative Board did not want to register it as the focus was solely on the spillage.
Then came the cold shower. Although the inventory was based on DNA samples, the compensation turned out to be based on the old system. So when the Sami village was to receive its predator compensation, it was halved compared to the year before – they simply had not been able to show any new dens.
– We feel very disappointed. The number of deer has not decreased, it has rather increased, says Peter Larsson.
The Sámi Parliament: “Ending up in the backwater”
The Sámi Parliament is responsible for the payments of the allowances based on information from the County Administrative Board. The opposition has directed criticism at the board for not renewing the remuneration system in time. But those responsible at the Sami Parliament believe that they cannot do anything before the pilot project is finished.
– We end up in a bit of a backwater, we can’t make a compensation system just for Norrbotten, it has to be for the entire reindeer husbandry area, says Jan Rannerud, chairman of the Sami Parliament’s reindeer husbandry committee.
According to him, they have not yet received the results of the new wolverine inventory from the County Administrative Board.
In recent weeks, SVT Sápmi has tried to reach the County Administrative Board’s predator manager by phone and email. But no one has been able to reach.
– We can’t afford to inventory wolverines any more, that’s what I can say. No Sámi village should lose by being a guinea pig, says Peter Larsson, chairman of Maskaure forest Sámi village.