Faroese fisheries chief doubts MSC will accept ethics as justification

The director of Faroe Islands Sustainable Fisheries, Durita í Grótinum, said she does not expect the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to accept ethical and moral arguments as sufficient grounds to oppose the government’s fishing quota plan.

Her comments follow Fisheries Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen’s announcement that he remains firm on his proposal to grant offshore vessels in zone 5B additional fishing days. The minister has argued that Faroese ethics and traditions provide adequate justification for the plan.

The MSC certification depends on ICES reviewing and approving the quota plan, which Faroese fisheries would then follow. While there is hope that ICES will endorse the plan, í Grótinum doubts that the minister’s ethical and moral reasoning will convince the body.