Faroese fishing union withholds support for extra fishing days

The Faroese Broadcasting Corporation reports that no members of the Fishing Industry Council have endorsed a proposal by Fisheries Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen to grant an additional 750 fishing days to vessels in quota group 5B.

Opinions among the unions vary, according to KVF. The council includes the Electric Line Fishermen’s Association, the Electric Trawl Fishermen’s Association, the Trawl Fishermen’s Association, the Skippers’ and Navigators’ Association, the Engineers’ Association, the Fishermen’s Association, the Trawlers’ Association, and unions representing processing plant workers. Jóanna Djurhuus, a department head in the Ministry of Social Affairs, chairs the council.

Under the Fishing Industry Council Act, all significant fishing industry matters and legislative proposals must be submitted to the council for review. The deadline for comments on the extra fishing days proposal was July 25.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Fisheries stated that no public consultation document was published because the proposal involves a legislative amendment not yet presented to parliament, citing transparency laws.

Last year, 48 fishing days remained in quota group 5B.