It has been reported that Jákup Mikkelsen, Faroese Minister of Fisheries has been replaced by Jacob Vestergaard.
According to The Faroese Securities Market (VMF), ever since the new Faroese Government took office in November, controversy has raged about Jákup Mikkelsen, because he was considered unfit to oversee too many affairs in his portfolio. VMF says that the disqualifying factor is that his brother-in-law is one of the biggest players in Faroese fisheries, which, along with ocean aquaculture, is the predominant industry in the Faroes.
This received a great deal of media attention throughout the new Government’s term in office, and certain responsibilities within the Ministry of Fisheries had to be transferred to the Prime Minister himself, Kaj Leo Johannesen.
The Prime Minister eventually concluded that the situation was untenable and relieved Jákup Mikkelsen of his duties.
The new Minister of Fisheries, Jacob Vestergaard, has previously held the office under two different governments.
The first major task facing the new Fisheries Minister is to fix the mackerel quota and establish a system for allocating it among the different Faroese vessel categories.
