On May 11 the National Swedish Saami Association will submit an application for 

summons to Gällivare District court. The summons concerns hunting- and fishing 

rights and the Swedish state is the defendant. 

- The legal situation is not clear. We need a statement from the court so that we all know the 

future the legal status of the Saami rights, says Anders Blom, director of the National Swedish 

Saami Association. 

Since 1993 the Swedish state exercise in practice the hunting- and fishing rights in the high 

mountains that are traditional Saami land. At the same time the national Act of reindeer 

husbandry states that these rights belong to the Saami. 

This unclear legal has been well known for long time. Among others the UN has criticized 

Sweden about the limited progress achieved in resolving Sami rights issues including Saami 

hunting- and fishing rights. The National Swedish Saami Association now wants a statement 

and therefore goes to court. 

- We believe that we have a good chance to win this legal process. It would mean that Saami 

are acknowledged the right of fishing and hunting, says Anders Blom. 

One of the consequences can be that the Saami communities will administer the hunting and 

the fishing in the mountain area. Other people’s opportunity to hunting and fishing would 

not be affected, except in areas where the nature today is exploited.  

Since 2007 all EU citizens can freely hunt and fish in the high mountains. This has led to 

problems in this sensitive environment. In many areas the shooting of grouse has been so 

high that the number of grouse has decreased severely. The hunting may also in some 

situations disturb the wildlife and the reindeer herding. The National Swedish Saami 

Association believes that a legal statement would be good for the sensitive Swedish 

environment in the high mountains. 

- It is not in anybody’s interest that the environment in the high mountains is impoverished, 

the very least in the Saamis interest. Our members have been severely affected by the unclear 

situation. We hope for a long-term solution that makes it possible for the Swedish Saami to 

survive in the 21st century. 

Facts:  

• There are between 20 000 and 60 000 Saami in Sweden.  

• Until 1987 the Swedish state recognized the Saami hunting and fishing rights.  

• The hunting and fishing in the high mountains are now administered by the state through the 

County administration.  

• An official investigation by the government in 2005 proposed a new administration of hunting and 

fishing. The proposal was not accepted by the Saami.  

Contents of the summons will be revealed at a press conference on May 11 in Stockholm. 

The application for summons will not be commented before it has been submitted to the 

District Court. 

Present at the press conference: 

Anders Blom, director of the National Swedish Saami Association 

Ingemar Blind, chairman of Girjas Saami Community 

Peter Danowsky, lawyer, Advokatbyrån Danowsky & Partners KB 

Time: 10:OO A.M. MONDAY 11 MAY 

Place: Danowsky & Partners Advokatbyrå, Hovslagargatan 5, Stockholm  

Accreditation is not needed. To make our planning easier you are, however, welcome to send 

an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you intend to attend the press conference. 

For those who are not able to attend, director Anders Blom (+46 70 514 44 80) and legal 

advisor Malin Brännström (+46 70 649 29 84) will answer questions by phone after the press 

conference. 

Sorce:  http://www.sapmi.se/