The North Atlantic Fisheries, 1100-1976 - University of Hull

The Faroese Greenland Fishery
Faroese Fishery Policy towards Denmark
and Greenland in the Inter-War Period
Vagn Wåhlin
with Henning Mosegaard Kristensen
In 1924 the Faroese fishing industry was in deep crisis. Its fishing vessels
were outdated, prices were falling, and British steam trawlers were a real
threat to the Faroese hand and long line fishery conducted from small
boats near the coast and on the nearby banks. Even the rich fishery off
Iceland became insecure in a long term perspective once Iceland gained
sovereignty in 1918. Nearly half of the adult male workforce was in
some way or another dependent on the fishery, while a large part of the
female working population was also employed in the fishing industry.
From the 1920s the cod was found in increasing abundance in the
waters off Southwest Greenland following a small rise in the ocean
temperature. The Faroese, being subjects of the Danish Crown like the
Greenlanders, wanted equal rights with the Greenlanders to fish in
Greenland waters. The Department of Greenland Affairs in the Danish
Ministry opposed the Faroese claims and supported the age-old policy of
protecting the Greenlanders and their resources against modern
exploitation. In the Danish political system, and to the public at large,
there was a clear understanding of the Faroese claims as well as of the
Greenlandic protectionist argument. Step by step the Danish authorities
—against rising Greenlandic opposition—gave in to the Faroese claims.
In 1939 Faroese fishing off Greenland was permitted by law. Inside the
territorial waters handline and long line fishing by the Faroese was
allowed (but not trawling). Smaller vessels could operate from several
well placed and sufficiently equipped harbours, and the fish could be
rinsed and salted there. However, the outbreak of the Second World War
stalled any Faroese fishing activity off Greenland for five years.
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