Icelandic vessels belonging to member organisations of The Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners (LÍÚ) are currently on strike, and plan to remain so until the end of the week.
They are protesting against the government’s fishing quota bill, which aims to “once and for all clarify that the natural resources in the water surrounding the island are the communal property of the Icelandic people,” Steingrimur J. Sigfusson, the fisheries and economy minister, told Business Week. The plan will ensure that “quotas are utilisation rights which the fishing industry pays for, but not anyone’s private property.”
Vessels owners do not agree, instead they believe that the tariffs included in the bill will discourage new investment and also cut fishermen‘s wages.
A statement from the LÍÚ says, “Fishing vessel owners have repeatedly sought cooperation with the government for a suitable conclusion concerning changes to the law on fisheries management but without success.
“Fishing vessel owners regard not sending their vessels fishing as an emergency measure ... We realise that stopping the fishing fleet will have consequences for many parties associated with the fishing industry. We ask them all to respect this decision as it would be irresponsible not to respond to the serious situation that has been created. Our aim is to prevent the extensive damage that will result if the unchanged bills become law.”
