The Sami People’s Right to Culture in the Context of the Tana Fishery Agreement (2017)

68 The Sami People’s Righ o Cul u e in he Con ex o he Tana Fishe y Ag eemen (2017) Ka olina Siko a ∗ In oduc ion The Tana Ri e is one o he wo ld's la ges i e sys ems o A lan ic salmon, wi h he highes annual ca ch in he a ea.1 In 2017 he No wegian Pa liamen adop ed he so-called Tana Ag eemen , which was also accep ed by he Finnish Pa liamen . The Tana Ag eemen egula es ishe y igh s, ishing quo as and ishing echniques in he Tana Ri e so as o p o ec and p ese e salmon s ocks in he i e . Howe e , he Sami people, who ha e inhabi ed he No h Fennoscandia since ime immemo ial, a gue ha his ag eemen iola es hei ishing igh s, and as a esul , hei igh o cul u e. In his pape , I will p esen new ishing egula ions and add ess he ∗ PhD Candida e, Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Lapland; Visi ing Resea che , No he n Ins i u e o En i onmen al and Mino i y Law (NIEM), A c ic Cen e, Uni e si y o Lapland. 1 Teno In o. In o ma ion abou Teno o Fishing En husias s, 2018, p. 2, h ps://www.ely- keskus. i/documen s/10191/23117928/Teno+in o+English.pd /1a185302- a5d-4ba6-bd90-17183 e d 21. 2 O e enskoms mellom konge ike No ge og epublikken Finland om elles o sk i e om iske i Tanael as iskeom åde. (Kgl. es. a 24. eb ua 1989. T åd e i k a den 1. janua 1990.), h p:// ana isk.no/wp-con en /uploads/2011/08/o e enskoms -mellom-No ge-og-Finland-om- elles- o sk i e -om- iske -i-Tanael as- iskeom åde.pd . 3 Eu opean Commission. Di ec i e 2000/60/EC o he Eu opean Pa liamen and o he Council o 23 Oc obe 2000 es ablishing a amewo k o Communi y ac ion in he ield o wa e policy. 4 Finnma k Fylkeskommune and Elinkeinoelämän keskuslii o (no da e). Join wa e managemen o he Finnish-. No wegian i e basin dis ic (2016-2021). Tana, Neiden and Pas ik ca chmen a eas in Finland and No way, issue o iola ion o he igh o cul u e o he Sami people in ela ion o he Tana Ag eemen . In he end, I will emphasise social eac ion owa ds his con lic . The Tana Ag eemen Since 1873 Tana’s legal s a us has been egula ed join ly by No way and Finland. Howe e , he ag eemen has no been upda ed since 19902, un il he Tana Ag eemen was adop ed in 2017. Besides ha , since he yea 2000, he Eu opean Commission’s Wa e F amewo k Di ec i e (WFD)3 has been in o ce. The di ec i e (a icle 3, poin 3) s a es ha any i e basin co e ing he e i o y o mo e han one Membe S a e is assigned o an in e na ional i e basin dis ic . Acco ding o his ule, No way and Finland signed a join ag eemen conce ning he Tana Ri e , acknowledging ha all ac ions ega ding he Tana Ri e ’s managemen and planning should be unde aken join ly by Finnish and No wegian au ho i ies.4 Howe e , he e is also a 69 No wegian ac which was adop ed in 1888 (Righ o Fishe y in Tana Ri e )5 and enewed in 2014.6 Acco ding o ha documen , he igh o local people o ish salmon in he Tana Ri e is based on law, he p inciple o con inuous use o e a long pe iod o his o ical ime (immemo ially, coming om cus oma y law and cou p ac ice) and local cus oms.7 Ri e s a e pa o s a es’ e i o ies. In he case o Tana Ri e he si ua ion is mo e complex, since he i e is also a na ional bo de , a bo de o he Eu opean Union and a pa o Sápmi, he adi ional Sami e i o ies. Fo hose easons, No wegian law applies wi h he cons ain s imposed by ILO Con en ion 169 and mus be applied in acco dance wi h in e na ional law on indigenous peoples and mino i ies and p o isions included in ag eemen s wi h Finland conce ning ishing in he Tana.8 The Sami people’s igh o cul u e The Tana Ri e is p o oundly connec ed o he Sami people’s cul u e, hei way o li e and iden i y. T adi ional echniques h p://ec.eu opa.eu/en i onmen /wa e /pd /Finnish_No wegian_in e na ional_ i e _basin_dis ic .pd . 5 Lo 23. juni 1888 om Re en il Fiske i i Tana asd age i Finma kens Am . 6 Lo 20. juni 2014 n . 51 om iske e en i Tana assd age (Tanalo en) § 6 ø s e og anne ledd, lo 15. mai 1992 n . 47 om lakse isk og innlands isk m . (lakse- og innlands isklo en). 7 Lo om iske e en i Tana assd age (Tanalo en), a icle 1, h ps://lo da a.no/dokumen /NL/lo /2014- 06-20-51/§6#§6. 8 Lo om iske e en i Tana assd age (Tanalo en), a icle 3, h ps://lo da a.no/dokumen /NL/lo /2014- 06-20-51/§6#§6. 9 Teno In o. In o ma ion abou Teno o Fishing En husias s, 2018, p. 2. 10 Anon. 2016. S a us o he Ri e Tana salmon popula ions 2016. Repo o he Wo king G oup on Salmon Moni o ing and Resea ch in he Tana Ri e Sys em. o ishing ha e been passed down as adi ional knowledge om one gene a ion o he nex o cen u ies. Fu he mo e, salmon cons i u e one o he main sou ces o subsis ence in he Dea nu egion. They p o ide basic su i al, income and well-being o all local inhabi an s, including indigenous people. Recen ly, Finnish and No wegian au ho i ies ha e s a ed ha he Tana Ri e is o e ished and salmon s ocks a e being slowly deple ed. One o he causes o his si ua ion is he use o ne - ypes gea , which di ec s ishes in o he ap.9 Cu en ly, ou di e en gea ypes a e pe mi ed: d i ne s, seines, wei s and gillne s.10 The Tana is one o he ew i e s in Eu ope, whe e such equipmen can be used. Those echniques a e also adi ional Sami ways o ishing. The ishing ag eemen om 2017 educes he numbe o de ices (d i ne s o hea -se ya ns) used a he same ime when ishing (Tana Ag eemen 2017, pa ag aph 15). The e o e, he adi ional ca ch echniques used by he Sami 70 ishe men a e egula ed o a deg ee, whe eas non-Sami ishe men who do no use hose me hods a e no co e ed by egula ions. In his way, Sami ishe men claim hey ace disc imina ion as hei ishing p ac ices a e limi ed un ai ly in compa ison wi h hose o non-Sami ishe men. Acco ding o a icle 15.1 o ILO Con en ion 169, indigenous peoples ha e special igh s o na u al esou ces loca ed on hei land, including ishe ies. The e m “land” is unde s ood as he “ o al en i onmen ” which indigenous peoples inhabi since ime immemo ial; he e o e, i e s a e included.11 Fo indigenous peoples "land" is no only a geog aphical e i o y. They ha e a spi i ual ela ionship wi h i , which builds up hei iden i y, and gi es a sense o belonging o a gi en communi y and he whole cul u e o a g oup. Fo ha eason, indigenous peoples ha e he igh o pa icipa e in he use, managemen and conse a ion o esou ces loca ed on hei lands. A icle 15 (2) o ILO Con en ion 169 gi es only a gene al amewo k o pa icipa ion p ocedu e. Speci ic condi ions a e included in a icle 6 o he Con en ion. Acco ding o hose ules, pa icipa ion should be p o ided by consul ing 11 In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion 2003. ILO Con en ion on Indigenous and T ibal Peoples, 1989 (No. 169): A Manual, p. 30, h p://p o169.o g/ es/ma e ials/en/gene al_ esou ces/Manual%20on%20ILO%20Con en ion%20No.% 20169.pd . 12 Human Righ s Council. Follow-up epo on indigenous peoples and he igh o pa icipa e in decision-making, wi h a ocus on ex ac i e indus ies, 30 Ap il 2012. A/HRC/EMRIP/2012/2, p. 13. 13 Hen iksen. 2008. Resea ch on Bes P ac ices o he Implemen a ion o he P inciples o ILO Con en ion No. 169. Case S udy: 7 Key P inciples in Implemen ing ILO Con en ion No. 169, p. 30. indigenous peoples conce ning all ac ions ha may a ec hem di ec ly. Consul a ions a e o be held be ween g oups’ ep esen a i es and a s a e's legal bodies be o e he decision is unde aken, as consul a ion should, i s o all, lead o ob aining he ee, p io and in o med consen o indigenous people, which is unde s ood as hei igh o sel -de e mina ion.12 The consul a ions mus be conduc ed in good ai h and should aim o “ eally in luence he decision making p ocess”.13 Addi ionally, acco ding o he Tana Ag eemen he salmon ishing season s a s 1s June and las s un il 20 h Augus o local ishe men and om 10 h June o 10 h Augus o isi ing ishe men (Tana Ag eemen 2017, pa ag aph 7). Howe e , in di e en ibu a ies, he ag eemen educes he numbe o ishing days di e en ly (Tana Ag eemen 2017, pa ag aph 33). Mo eo e , p e iously some ibu a ies we e ese ed only o he local people, including he Sami. New egula ions opened some o hose ibu a ies also o isi ing ishe men, including ou is s, unde he condi ion ha hey buy a ishing pe mi . The local Sami people a gue ha hey do no ha e any con ol 71 o e how many pe mi s ha e been issued.14 Fo ha eason, a bigge sha e o ish may be caugh by ou is s, and no local inhabi an s.15 Howe e , i is no only he Sami people who ha e disag eed wi h new egula ions. Non– Sami inhabi an s o he Dean u Valley claim ha hey bough p ope ies in he egion oge he wi h ishing igh s, which now canno be used as ex ensi ely as p e iously. Fu he mo e, any boa wi h which a pe son wan s o ish mus be egis e ed. Local people can egis e up o h ee boa s, whe eas i hey a e unning a ou is business, hey can egis e up o 15. In his case, he Sami people who do no li e in he Tana alley pe manen ly, and a e no egis e ed as local inhabi an s, a e conside ed isi ing ishe men, who need o en a boa om locals. In his con ex , as a esponse o he p o isions included in he Tana Ag eemen , he Sami people claim ha hei su i al is h ea ened. Fu he mo e, hey a gue ha hei human igh s as gua an eed in he 14 Eye on he A c ic. Sami g oup occupies island in no he n Finland o p o es ishing ules. 13 July 2017, h p://www. cine .ca/eye-on- he-a c ic/2017/07/13/sami-g oup-occupies-island- o-p o es - ishing- ules-in-no he n- inland- i e /. 15 The Ba en s Obse e . 13 July 2017. “We also ge o ea salmon” – New ishing es ic ions suppo ed by people ups eam he Ri e Teno, h ps:// heba en sobse e .com/en/bo de s/2017/07/we-also-ge - ea -salmon-new- ishing- es ic ions-suppo ed-people-ups eam- i e - eno. 16 The Local. 21 July 2017. No he n No wegian islands in mo a o ium o e ishing. Righ s, h ps://www. helocal.no/20170721/no he n-no wegian-islands-in-mo a o ium-o e - ishing- igh s. 17 Ibidem. 18 The Ba en s Obse e . 21 July 2017. The illage o U sjoki is emp y: Tou is s ha e disappea ed – “I his was F ance, we could al eady ha e qui e an up ising he e”, h ps:// heba en sobse e .com/en/li e- and-public/2017/07/ illage-u sjoki-emp y- ou is s-ha e-disappea ed-i -was- ance-we-could. In e na ional Co enan on Ci il and Poli ical Righ s (1966) a icle 27 a e being iola ed. The legal no m de i ing om his a icle p o ec s he igh o people belonging o e hnic, eligious and linguis ic mino i ies o enjoy hei own cul u e in communi y wi h o he s. In esponse o he iola ion o his no m, he Sami ac i is g oup “Ellos Dea nu” has been calling o ci il disobedience.16 In June 2017 he g oup p oclaimed a "mo a o ium" on Tii asaa i Island (Čea e suolu in No he n Sami language), on he Finnish side o he i e .17 The g oup does no ecognise he new ishing ag eemen as binding on he e i o y o he island.18 Howe e , he legal pla o m c ea ed by ILO Con en ion 169 has been unde mined, as i has been a i ied only by No way and no by Finland. Ne e heless, bo h coun ies, No way and Finland, ha e a i ied he Uni ed Na ions Decla a ion on he Righ s o Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The challenging legal aspec ha a ises he e is ha UNDRIP is a decla a ion and is no legally binding. Consequen ly, UNDRIP canno cons i u e he sole legal 72 basis o an in e na ional complain . Howe e , he p o isions included in he Decla a ion can se e as a o m o cus oma y law. O e ime, he consis en , con inued use and p ac ice o UNDRIP can lead o he eme gence o opinio jui is, which is al eady binding law.19 In his con ex , a icle 26 o UNDRIP may be alid. The no m de i ing om his a icle, in a simila way as ILO Con en ion 169, p o ec s he igh s o lands and esou ces which indigenous people ha e inhabi ed. Addi ionally, he p o ision gua d he igh s o use, own, de elop, and con ol o e hese e i o ies. Conclusion In he con ex o indigenous peoples, i is impossible o sepa a e one igh om he o he s. They a e all o e lapping and in luencing each o he . I seems ha he common s em lays in he igh o cul u e. Cul u e builds ounda ions o e e y communi y, no only indigenous communi ies. Indigenous cul u e ga he s di e en ac o s like land, adi ions and local knowledge and o e s indigenous peoples sense o belonging. Fo ha eason, when alking abou ishe y igh s, one canno exclude land igh s and cul u al igh s. In he case o he Tana Ri e , he Sami people a e a aid ha oge he wi h ishing capabili ies, hey will lose hei iden i y, 19 Magui e. 2014. The UN Decla a ion on he Righ s o Indigenous Peoples and Sel -De e mina ion in Aus alia: Using a Human Righ s App oach o P omo e Accoun abili y, New Zealand Yea book o In e na ional Law, Vol. 12. p. 111. which is shaped a leas in pa by he abo e-men ioned ac o s. Besides being indigenous, hey a e a he same ime human beings and membe s o a mino i y, and o ha eason, hey demand p o ec ion. Re e ences: Anon. 2016. S a us o he Ri e Tana salmon popula ions 2016. Repo o he Wo king G oup on Salmon Moni o ing and Resea ch in he Tana Ri e Sys em. Eye on he A c ic. Sami g oup occupies island in no he n Finland o p o es ishing ules. 13 July 2017. A ailable a : h p://www. cine .ca/eye-on- he- a c ic/2017/07/13/sami-g oup-occupies- island- o-p o es - ishing- ules-in- no he n- inland- i e / (Viewed 7.11.2018). Eu opean Commission. 2000. Di ec i e 2000/60/EC o he Eu opean Pa liamen and o he Council o 23 Oc obe 2000 es ablishing a amewo k o Communi y ac ion in he ield o wa e policy. Finnma k Fylkeskommune and Elinkeinoelämän keskuslii o (no da e). Join wa e managemen o he Finnish- No wegian i e basin dis ic (2016- 2021). Tana, Neiden and Pas ik ca chmen a eas in Finland and No way. A ailable a : 73 h p://ec.eu opa.eu/en i onmen /wa e / pd /Finnish_No wegian_in e na ional_ i e _basin_dis ic .pd (Viewed 7.11.2018). Hen iksen, J. 2008. Resea ch on Bes P ac ices o he Implemen a ion o he P inciples o ILO Con en ion No. 169. Case S udy: 7 Key P inciples in Implemen ing ILO Con en ion No. 169. Human Righ s Council. Follow-up epo on indigenous peoples and he igh o pa icipa e in decision-making, wi h a ocus on ex ac i e indus ies, 30 Ap il 2012. A/HRC/EMRIP/2012/2. In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion 2003. ILO Con en ion on Indigenous and T ibal Peoples, 1989 (No. 169): A Manual. A ailable a : h p://p o169.o g/ es/ma e ials/en/gene al_ esou ces/Manual%20on%20ILO%20 Con en ion%20No.%20169.pd (Viewed 12.11.2018). Lo 23. juni 1888 om Re en il Fiske i i Tana asd age i Finma kens Am . Lo 20. juni 2014 n . 51 om iske e en i Tana assd age (Tanalo en) § 6 ø s e og anne ledd, lo 15. mai 1992 n . 47 om lakse isk og innlands isk m . (lakse- og innlands isklo en) Lo om iske e en i Tana assd age (Tanalo en). A ailable a : h ps://lo da a.no/dokumen /NL/lo /20 14-06-20-51/§6#§6 (Viewed 12.11.2018). Magui e, A. 2014. The UN Decla a ion on he Righ s o Indigenous Peoples and Sel -De e mina ion in Aus alia: Using a Human Righ s App oach o P omo e Accoun abili y. New Zealand Yea book o In e na ional Law, Vol. 12. O e enskoms mellom konge ike No ge og epublikken Finland om elles o sk i e om iske i Tanael as iskeom åde. (Kgl. es. a 24. eb ua 1989. T åd e i k a den 1. janua 1990.) A ailable a : h p:// ana isk.no/wp- con en /uploads/2011/08/o e enskoms - mellom-No ge-og-Finland-om- elles- o sk i e -om- iske -i-Tanael as- iskeom åde.pd (Viewed 12.11.2018). Teno In o. In o ma ion abou Teno o Fishing En husias s, 2018, p. 2. A ailable a : h ps://www.ely- keskus. i/documen s/10191/23117928/Te no+in o+English.pd /1a185302- a5d- 4ba6-bd90-17183 e d 21 (Viewed 15.11.2018). The Ba en s Obse e . 13 July 2017. “We also ge o ea salmon” – New ishing es ic ions suppo ed by people ups eam he Ri e Teno. A ailable a : h ps:// heba en sobse e .com/en/bo d e s/2017/07/we-also-ge -ea -salmon- new- ishing- es ic ions-suppo ed- people-ups eam- i e - eno (Viewed 7.11.2018). The Local. 21 July 2017. No he n No wegian islands in mo a o ium o e ishing igh s. A ailable a : h ps://www. helocal.no/20170721/no h 74 e n-no wegian-islands-in-mo a o ium- o e - ishing- igh s (Viewed 15.11.2018). The Ba en s Obse e . 21 July 2017. The illage o U sjoki is emp y: Tou is s ha e disappea ed – “I his was F ance, we could al eady ha e qui e an up ising he e”. A ailable a : h ps:// heba en sobse e .com/en/li e- and-public/2017/07/ illage-u sjoki- emp y- ou is s-ha e-disappea ed-i - was- ance-we-could (Viewed 28.11.2018).