The Faroese Ministry of Fisheries and Infrastructure has released a proposal to amend the Sea Resources Act and sent it for public consultation.
The goal is to make rules clearer, easier to administer, and better aligned with international agreements. The ministry says the changes will also ease the industry’s burden and improve transparency.
More explicit Rules and Less Bureaucracy
The proposal aims to simplify fisheries regulation. Instead of issuing quota allocations through formal regulations, authorities would publish them through notices, enabling faster adjustments when conditions change and improving transparency.
Annual reporting to the Faroese parliament would also shift to every second year, as year-to-year changes are limited.
Wider Powers Over Foreign Vessels
The government seeks broader authority to deny services to foreign vessels fishing in violation of international agreements.
This could include bans on transhipment, bunkering, and other services in Faroese waters or ports if fishing is not in line with agreements the Faroe Islands have signed.
The ministry highlights a new multinational agreement between the Faroe Islands, the UK, the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Greenland on control of pelagic fisheries, which introduces new requirements for weighing, reporting, and inspection.
Updating the law is needed to implement these rules.
New Flexibility on Quotas and Landings
The proposal also allows temporary exemptions from mandatory landings in the Faroe Islands when processing capacity is strained, particularly during the blue whiting season.
Exemptions would be made by notice rather than regulation to avoid delays.
Vessels could also transfer rights from shared annual quotas or days outside Faroese waters, expanding flexibility in how fishing opportunities are used.
Public comments must be submitted by 4 January 2026.