Non-existent salmon licences worth millions

The Ministry of Fisheries will not interfere with interest group Laksaskip’s big earnings from promising to stay away from wild salmon fishing grounds, even though the group has no licence to do so.

“We see no reason to interfere with private matters,” says a spokesperson for the Ministry of Fisheries.

Eyebrows were raised earlier this year when it emerged that Laksakip, formerly a shipping company and now an interest organisation, had signed a contract with two private organisations – Atlantic Salmon Federation and North Atlantic Salmon Fund – agreeing that Laksaskip will be paid a tidy sum for pledging not to catch wild salmon.

According to Laksaskip, similar agreements have been in force since 1991. However, all Faroese fishing licences were terminated with a 10-year time-limit until the end of last year. And since no new salmon licence has been issued under the new system, there are no salmon licences – whether it be for selling, fishing or not fishing.

This has not, however, deterred Laksaskip from selling salmon licences worth millions of kroner.

This summer, Høgni Hoydal, the Minister of Fisheries, said:

“There are no rights to sell. You cannot sell something you don’t own.”

It is now clear that the Ministry of Fisheries will not pursue this matter any further.

A ministry spokesperson says that the private actors in the fisheries market are fully aware that there are no active salmon fishing licences. That Laksaskip has renewed its contract with the two private organisations as recently as this year is to be regarded as a private matter, which the ministry cannot do much about.