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

was turned down on financial arguments, and because the maritime
experts found it impracticable. 137
Not one but several factors thus lie behind the Faroese cry in the
autumn of 1924 for fishing rights off Greenland.
The Greenland Fishery in Faroese Politics in 1924
In the twentieth century Faroese politics has invariably been influenced
by the national line of division: close connections with Denmark or
extended autonomy—cultural, economic and political. This national
perspective also influenced the question of the fishery off Greenland. Yet
in this particular case the Faroese for once were united: We want to sail
to Greenland. But they disagreed on ways and means.
To establish a solid foundation for discussing Faroese politics in this
respect it has been necessary in this study to ignore the eternal rumbling
of the national thunder and to leave out the political power game between
individuals and factions. Those tendencies influence and obscure not
only the debate but also the source material.
From ships in international waters off the Greenlandic west coast in
1923 and 1924 the Færøernes Skipper- og Navigatørforening (The
Faroese Skipper and Navigator Association) learned about a
prosperous fishery at Greenland. 138 The question of Faroese fishery off
Greenland was not on the agenda of the Lagting at St. Olav’s Day, the
traditional opening day, 29 July 1924. On 10 August the Skipper- og
Navigatørforeningen presented the Fishery Committee of the Lagting
with a proposition on the matter especially claiming a permanent land
station on the west coast. 139 The Committee extended the proposal in its
report. Most noteworthy was the demand for five permanent land
stations along the coast. The local press intervened in the case and it was
soon completely politicized. On 3 September the Fishery Committee
presented its proposals on both the territorial waters and the fishery off
137 Spanner, Færøfiskeriet, 10-11.
138 A Norwegian research vessel passed on reliable information on the rising stocks of
fish. The Norwegian fishing vessel Faustina in a short time fished a full hold on Fylla’s
Bank at Godthåb; cf. Dimmalætting 27 August 27 1924 and Blað Føroya
Fiskimannafelag 15 and 22 August 1924. Grønlands Styrelses arkiv, documents on the
matter, quoted in Spanner, ‘Færøfiskeriet’, 103, endnote 63.
139 The proposition is not printed as a supplement to the case in Lagtingstidende. Spanner
found it as an annex to Grønlands Styrelses arkiv 51-1926, Journal 609-1/1924, and
quotes it in ‘Færøfiskeriet’, chapter 3, endnote 7.
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