The government of Greenland has set this year’s mackerel quota for East Greenland at 85,000 tonnes, along with a 20,000 tonne herring quota and a 15,000 tonne blue whiting quota.
According to a government statement, the aims are to develop pelagic fisheries in Greenland towards economic and biological sustainability, and to boost employment.
In recent years a number of foreign pelagic vessels have operated in Greenland waters, but local vessels are the ones that have secured the greatest economic returns for Greenland itself.
‘It is important for the Government of Greenland that as many as possible in society should benefit from the new fishery. This concerns especially the employment of vessels and the influx of tax and tax income to the Treasury,’ reads the government’s statement, stating that the cabinet has decided that no new companies can get quota this year.
‘Pelagic fisheries in East Greenland has in recent years been characterised by the fact that there have been too many players. All of these players have not been equally serious. That is why we have decided to set requirements that document what plans an applicant has for the quota allocation,’ Minister of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture Karl-Kristian Kruse.
The requirements for candidates for the 2016 pelagic fishery include, among other things, that they must have other established activities in fishing or fish production in Greenland. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they will get a substantial return of a license allocation that is intended for the development of its core activities.
