Minister plans coastal fishing bill for November

Iceland’s infrastructure minister plans to introduce a new coastal fishing bill in parliament in November, mbl.is reported. Eyjólfur Ármannsson announced the plan at the annual meeting of the National Association of Small Boat Owners, which ended yesterday.

The government is also reviewing the regional support system and aims to introduce a bill on regional quotas and other measures shortly after the new year. Ármannsson said the general regional quota was one of the biggest issues under review.

He said he wanted to prevent large fishing companies from receiving allocations from this social part of the fisheries management system. The general regional quota should go to smaller operators and support genuine job creation in communities that are struggling, he said.

Ármannsson also said the government intended to make quota allocations more transparent, so people in fishing communities could see the rules, why quotas were allocated in a particular way and what measurable results were expected for local jobs and value creation.

The new coastal fishing law would make several changes. Permits would be tied to individuals operating one boat, rather than allowing the system to be used to run a fleet or trade boats and permits.

The proposal would also allow more flexibility for illness and substitute operators, and improve access to saithe. Ármannsson said saithe should be a genuine and attractive alternative to cod without reducing fishers’ opportunities as it does under the current system.

He said the government would take tougher action against repeat offenders who catch more than the permitted daily limit. The current penalties were not strong enough to deter a small group of fishers, he said.