Faroe Islands to extend fishing license validity to 10 years

The Faroese Parliament will vote Friday on a government proposal to extend the validity of fishing licenses to 10 years, Kringvarp Føroya reports. The change is part of broader amendments to the maritime fisheries law.

Under current rules, the fisheries minister must annually submit proposals to extend license validity by one year—a practice not followed in recent years. Existing licenses and quotas remain valid until January 1, 2034, roughly 3.5 years from now.

The coalition agreement between the People’s Party, Union Party, and Social Democratic Party explicitly states that “we will establish a licensing system with 10-year licenses.” The proposal now before Parliament aligns with this commitment.

If approved, the amendment would set license validity from January 1 of each year to January 1, 2037—effectively a 10-year term. The fisheries minister would still be required to submit annual proposals to Parliament to extend licenses by one year at a time.

The shift marks a new political consensus. As recently as November, a draft law to amend the fisheries act made no mention of license duration, leaving current permits set to expire in 2034. The Faroese Fishermen’s Association had called for a 12-year extension, but the coalition settled on 10 years.

The proposal, introduced by Fisheries Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen, includes additional technical amendments, many of which were developed under the previous minister but not brought to Parliament before the election.