Fisheries in coastal Sami areas: Geopolitical concerns?

This paper aims to analyze the fishing rights of the Sea Sami (Coastal Sami) based on international law, particularly with respect to differing views in the recommendations of the Coastal Fishing Commission 2008, and in the Government bill 2012. The main point of international law discussed is the protection of the culture laid down in UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights article 27. There is agreement to a large extent regarding the interpretation of this article. The paper intends to delimit the area of opposing arguments in order to define any future legal battleground. The author finds that the Government bill is unsatisfactory with regard to its legal reasoning. This international law issue has, in his opinion, such wide cultural implications that the discussion ought to continue. Keywords: Fishing rights, Sea Sami culture, Coastal Fishing Commission, Government bill 2012, UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights article 27. Citation: Arctic Review on Law and Politics, vol. 5, 1/2014 pp. 4–10. ISSN 1891-6252