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

and the Home Secretary promised Parliament that according to the
Greenlandic concessions in the matter he would use his power to
adjudicate on Article 2,1 of the law to promote some Faroese fishing off
Greenland. 157
The law was passed and confirmed in the same year. The Norwegians
got the regulations for their limited hunting concessions in East
Greenland. In general the old protectionistic line was upheld but
clarified. Dispensations could only be obtained for each ship individually
for one year at a time and by direct permission from the ministry. The
penalties for breaking the law were in principle confiscation of the catch
and gear and in severe cases even confiscation of the ship followed by
heavy fines of up to 10,000-20,000 DKK.
Yet there was a small gap following the Greenlandic concessions.
Danish (and Faroese as Danish citizens) and a few Icelandic fishing
vessels were permitted a land station for provisions etc. at Ravns Storø
(Takisup Qeqertarsua) and a few Greenlanders could work in the fishing
industry, but only at the same wages as Faroese fishermen there. This
first concession only dealt with Danish, Faroese and Icelandic vessels
fishing in the Davis Strait in international waters but in need of a land
station. Ravns Storø is situated some 70 nautical miles from the
promising Fylla’s Bank out of Godthåb, so the practical use of the land
base was not that effective.
On the Faroe Islands Tingakrossur followed the Autonomous line by
declaring that the Greenlandic councils were nothing but a mouthpiece
for the Danish civil service. The unionist newspaper, Dimmalætting,
countered the Tingakrossur and its suggestion regarding a closer
Faroese-Norwegian cooperation on the Greenland fishery.
In the fishing season of 1925 several Faroese took the long journey to
West Greenland. In spite of poor weather conditions they got good
catches. The schooner Agnes with a crew of 28 loaded a full hold of
35,000 cod.
The Greenland fishery was discussed again in the Lagting in August
1925. According to the Fishery Commitee:
157 Rigsdagaarbog, 1925, 159, summary of the deliberations in Parliament about the
Faroese wishes in the matter.
76