Faroese court time-bars cases against Bakkafrost

A court has ruled that cases against fish farming company Bakkafrost are time-barred because proceedings took too long, KVF reports. Prosecutors have 14 days to decide whether to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Bakkafrost was charged with six breaches of transport regulations in 2020. Prosecutors alleged that the company transported fish in Suðuroy without permission from the Food and Veterinary Authority. The company was also charged with failing to record a transport from Froðba to Porkeri in its transport log.

The court has not considered the allegations themselves. Bakkafrost’s defence argued that the cases were too old to be prosecuted, and the court first considered whether they were time-barred.

The Food and Veterinary Authority reported Bakkafrost in 2021, but charges were not brought until April this year. The case was initially one matter covering several allegations, including breaches of transport and sea lice regulations. The authority had argued that Bakkafrost should be fined 67 million kroner.

Police have previously acknowledged that the handling of the case took an unsatisfactory amount of time.