Iceland’s fisheries sector sets red lines over EU membership

Iceland’s Federation of Fisheries Companies has called for full and permanent national control over the country’s fishing resources, while taking no formal position for or against European Union membership, Morgunblaðið reports.

Heiðrún Lind Marteinsdóttir, chief executive of the federation, made the comments in an interview with Intrafish, an international fisheries news and analysis outlet. The interview, published on August 14, was headlined “Icelandic fisheries draw a red line ahead of EU membership referendum.”

The federation says any potential accession agreement must include permanent, legally binding exemptions from the EU’s fisheries regulations. It also insists that Iceland retain full authority over its fisheries legislation and waters.

Companies weigh challenges and opportunities

Intrafish reported that many Icelandic fisheries and aquaculture companies have not taken a public position on EU membership. Some company executives have warned that joining the EU fisheries system could move important decisions out of Iceland, threaten jobs and reduce value creation in the country.

Arctic Fish, a salmon farming company, and First Water, a land-based aquaculture company, told Intrafish that they had not taken a public position on the upcoming referendum. Samherji declined to comment, while fisheries company Brim and salmon farming company Arnarlax did not respond to inquiries.

Óskar Jósúason, communications director at Laxey, said the company recognised that EU membership would bring both challenges and potential opportunities for Icelandic companies. “Whether the possible benefits outweigh the challenges is, of course, the heart of the debate now under way,” he told Intrafish.

Market access already strong

Stefán Friðriksson, chief executive of Ísfélagið, said he did not believe EU membership would serve the interests of Iceland’s fisheries sector. He said Icelandic fisheries already had good access to markets for seafood products both inside and outside the EU without the country being a member.

“If Icelanders voted to join the European Union, there is a risk that decisions on allocating fishing rights, fishing activities, fishing seasons, fishing methods, fishing gear and research would most likely be made by people other than Icelanders,” he said.

Friðriksson also expressed concern that negotiations over shared fish stocks would no longer be controlled by Iceland and that so-called quota hopping could affect who was allowed to fish in Icelandic waters and who could process the catch.

“This could mean fewer jobs in Icelandic fisheries, less added value from fishing and processing, and lower tax revenues for Iceland from the industry,” he said.

Intrafish’s report also cited a recent opinion poll in which nearly 95 per cent of respondents said it was important for Iceland to retain full control over its resources in any potential EU accession negotiations.