Every winter, salmon from all over the north Atlantic, including Canada, converge on Greenland to feed in the territory's waters.

For the last decade, Greenland has forgone commercial fishing of these salmon, in the interest of conservation.

But a recent announcement by the territory that it plans to open a commercial fishery has caused alarm in some North Atlantic countries where certain salmon populations are in critical decline.

A meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) in Ireland earlier this month failed to reach a solution. Keith Ashfield, Canada's minister of Fisheries and Oceans, said he was disappointed with Greenland's decision.

"The purpose of international organizations like the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization is to encourage cooperation, thereby ensuring fisheries sustainability," Ashfield said in a press release. "Greenland's actions go against these objectives and the Government of Canada urges it to adhere to internationally acceptable levels."

When reached last week, a spokesperson for Greenland's Ministry of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture said no one at the ministry was able to give an English-language interview on the issue.

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