Regulation No. 3 on the capture and protection of polar bears.

The present regulation of the Government of Greenland sets rules for the capture and protection of polar bears. It establishes closed hunting seasons, full-year protection for cubs and mothers, and bans disturbing hibernating bears. Hunting is subject to annual quotas based on biological advice and international agreements, with quotas distributed at national, municipal, and local levels. Only licensed professional hunters may participate, and strict rules apply to hunting methods, trade, and sale of bear products. Hunters must report kills, provide biological samples, and comply with controls. The law also covers emergency killings (self-defense or necessity), problem bears, and scientific exemptions. Violations can result in fines and confiscation.
This 2018 regulation modernized and expanded Greenland’s polar bear hunting rules compared to the 2005 version. Key changes include clearer definitions (e.g. “problem bears,” “quota year”), stricter seasonal protections (with region-specific closed seasons), a ban on drones, more detailed rules on quota setting, carry-over of unused quotas, and closer municipal oversight. Licensing and distribution were refined with stricter return and redistribution rules, and trade provisions now require documented proof of origin for sales to businesses. Hunters must also deliver biological samples from each bear, and emergency/“problem bear” killings were more explicitly regulated, with all parts going to the Self-Government. Finally, penalties and enforcement powers were expanded, while the older provisions on payment hunts and certain export allowances were removed.