Development quotas handed out

A new era has begun in the sustainable management of Faroese fisheries.

The Minister of Fisheries yesterday announced the nine recipients of the country’s first marine resources development quotas.

The law on marine resources states that development quotas can be allocated to development projects working towards improving marine resources in areas with limited access to marine resources, in areas with relatively high levels of unemployment or in areas marked by a steady population decline.

This is the first time that development quotas are handed out. The quotas can be allocated for one, two, three or four years.

Vestmanna Fiskavirki (the fish-processing plant in Vestmanna) was allocated the highest share of blue whiting, a total of 12,970 tonnes, along with 2,000 tonnes of mackerel and 1,600 tonnes of North Sea herring. The quota is valid for four years.

Skip og Snarfrost Ltd. in Vágar received 10,400 tonnes of blue whiting, 2,000 tonnes of mackerel and 1,600 tonnes of North Sea herring. This is also a four-year quota.

Suðuroy-based Jókin Ltd was handed a one-year quota for 8,800 tonnes of blue whiting.

Shipping company Steintór og TG Fish, also based in Suðuroy, was allocated 900 tonnes of blue whiting and 900 tonnes of North Sea herring. This quota is valid for one year.

Rock Trawldoors in Suðuroy received a two-year quota for a total of 1,360 tonnes of blue whiting.

Delta Seafood in Suðuroy was allocated 900 tonnes of mackerel and 873 tonnes of North Sea herring. This quota is valid for one year.

Vørustíggjur in Sandoy received a two-year quota for a total of 1,360 tonnes of blue whiting.

Limited liability company Sjógæti, based in Norðureysturoy and Norðstreymoy, was allocated 900 tonnes of mackerel and 540 tonnes of North Sea herring. The quota is valid for four years.

Kósin Seafood and Næraberg were allocated 360 tonnes of North Sea herring each. These quotas are valid for one year.

These nine quotas total 33,530 tonnes of blue whiting, 7,875 tonnes of mackerel and 6,759 of North Sea herring.

The original plan was to allocate some 58,000 tonnes. In the end, however, only approximately 48,000 tonnes were distributed.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries, this is due to an administrative dispute, which means that a certain percentage of the quotas is being withheld for the time being.

Translated by prosa.fo