The Fisheries Act remains unchanged

The Fisheries Act has introduced a 75 percent utilization obligation in the Greenland halibut fishery under the PNNP after one year of application. This means that fishermen must utilize at least 75 percent of their annual quota. If a fisherman has not met the requirement for three consecutive years, the quotas will be equalized. Unused quotas will instead be taken over by the Government of Greenland and offered to others who need them.

The purpose was to sell surplus quotas to those who lacked quotas and ensure that as much of the quota as possible was used each year.

The two fishing and hunting organizations, KNAPK and SQAPK, criticized this at the end of last year, and they believe that the law should be changed.

But in a response to the criticism, Peter Borg, member of the Greenland Government for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, writes, among other things, that it does not seem to be the right time to change the law.

The time is not right for change.

Borg says that the Government of Greenland has an ongoing dialogue with the fishing organizations about the fishing industry, and that he expects these discussions to continue.

- If you fail to utilize 75% of your quota volume for 3 years in a row, you must adjust your quota share.

- At the same time, there is flexibility built into the legislation that ensures that you do not lose your quota if, for example, you have been ill, had an accident or have been in a shipyard for a long time, which has meant that you have not managed to catch 75% of your quota for 3 years in a row.

- Naalakkersuisut does not consider it time to change the law now that it has only been in force for a year, but we are following the development, says Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries.

But if over time there is a need for changes, the Government of Greenland will assess the situation, Borg emphasizes.

Disappointed

Last year and this year there has also been plenty of cod in many places along the coast, and the chairman of KNAPK, Pele Blystmann, emphasizes that the higher purchase prices than in previous years have, among other things, prompted many halibut fishermen to fish for cod.

- If cod fishing continues in the same way in the coming years, many will not be able to meet the obligation to utilize at least 75 percent of their halibut quota.

- If that happens, they will be deprived of their quotas, which is unacceptable.

- It is therefore naturally disappointing that Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries does not believe that it is time to change this provision in the Fisheries Act, he says.

Pele Blystmann emphasizes that at the end of last year, KNAPK wrote to the Government of Greenland about a change to the requirement for a 75 percent exploitation obligation in the Greenland halibut fishery, but has not yet received a response.