The water barrier zone affects businesses

According to Avannaata Municipality's rules for the use of motor vehicles during the winter months, driving along the water barrier zone in Ilulissat is not allowed.

The road to Akinnaq, which leads to the Ilulissat Icefjord, is within the area's boundary and can therefore only be crossed by dog ​​sled.

Therefore, you can only drive into the Ilulissat Icefjord by motor vehicle if you follow the approved route, which is outside the water barrier zone.

However, due to the lack of snow, this route is currently not passable, which has serious consequences for businesses, according to both tourism operators and the fishing industry.

Tourism affected

In recent years, tourism at Ilulissat Icefjord has developed significantly, both through the construction of new accommodation and the increasing use of motor vehicles.

However, this year there is a lack of snow in Ilulissat, and therefore it is not possible to use the approved route into Ilulissat Icefjord.

This is a hard blow to the tourism industry, says Jan Cortsen, director of Ilulissat Excursions ApS and co-owner of Ilulissat Local Guide ApS. He has just invested in three modern UTVs, which were to be used to transport guests to the icefjord.

– There is only one access road to Ilulissat Icefjord, but driving with motorized vehicles is prohibited due to the water extraction area. This has serious consequences for our earnings.

– If I can't get tourists to Ilulissat Isfjord in the winter, I expect a loss of between 400,000 and 600,000 kroner, he says.

Ilulissat Isfjord was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004, and that's one of the reasons why many tourists visit the area every year.

Production plant also affected

In Ilulissat Isfjord, halibut from the longline fishery is normally transported by snowmobile to Royal Greenland's and Halibut Greenland's factories. But this year it has been difficult to get the fish out, says Director Erik Sivertsen of Halibut Greenland.

– Halibut is a crucial raw material for production in Ilulissat Isfjord. If an exemption for motorized transport is not granted, it will have significant consequences for our production, he says.

– We used to drive on routes where motorized transport is otherwise prohibited, but the authorities gave us fines as they should. That is why we do not use those routes anymore.

– Our city is completely surrounded by borders, and this is hitting the business community hard, says the director.

He emphasizes that in recent years around 200 tons of halibut have been transported from Ilulissat Isfjord to Halibut Greenland's factories.

The case is ongoing

The route for motorized vehicles to Ilulissat Isfjord, Koororsuaq, is planned to be made passable by snowplow in the near future, says contractor Bernhardt Olsen, who owns and operates a snowplow from Ilulissat.

– We want to transport snow to Koororsuaq, and I hope I can get there in a week or ten days, he says.

Bernhardt Olsen states that several local tourism operators have volunteered to help clear and repair the route for motorized vehicles. He also emphasizes that Greenland halibut must continue to be transported to the fish factory in Ilulissat.

The case is ongoing

According to the mayor of Avannaata Kommunia, Lars Erik Gabrielsen (Siumut), the municipality has been working for several years to remove the major barrier to business at the waterworks in Ilulissat. However, this has not yet been successful.

– People think that it is the municipality that prohibits snowmobiling. This is not true. This area of ​​responsibility is handled by Inatsisartut and Naalakkersuisut.

– The current problem has been raised with the responsible Naalakkersuisoq. We have asked for a dispensation to drive snowmobiling on Akinnaaq, but have not yet received a response.

– When the chairman of Naalakkersuisut, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, visited Ilulissat in December last year, the message that something must be done about the problem was presented. But nothing has happened yet, says the mayor.

Mayor Lars Erik Gabrielsen emphasizes that Bernhardt Olsen has already been assigned the task of repairing the snowmobiling tracks in Ilulissat Isfjord, namely in Koororsuaq and Tununngasoq.