Only in management area 1C, i.e. in the Maniitsoq area, have fishermen managed to fish the rockfish quota, and thus this management area has been closed as planned. The rockfish fishery in the rest of the coast is going slowly, even so slowly that fishermen have been given 20 extra fishing days.

The executive order makes it possible to extend the fishing period for commercial fishing for female stonefish in 2025 by 20 calendar days, i.e. up to 80 calendar days, instead of the normal 60 days.

The ordinance makes it possible

This is to give fishermen the opportunity to fish out the quota.

The executive order makes it possible to extend the fishing period for commercial fishing for female stonefish in 2025 by 20 calendar days, i.e. up to 80 calendar days, instead of the normal 60 days.

The ordinance makes it possibleAnnouncement

This is to give fishermen the opportunity to fish out the quota.

– I have followed the development of the quota intake. Already at the beginning it was noticeable that fewer female stonefish were caught compared to previous years, primarily because it is cold and the stonefish have been slow to arrive.

– I therefore demanded at an early stage that we be ready to act extraordinarily if the fishing did not proceed as planned. It now appears that it was necessary, says Peter Borg (D) to Sermitsiaq.

Fishing must adapt to the course of nature in the future

Today, there are very strict and, as Peter Borg calls it, very rigid rules for the stonefish fishery. For example, exactly 60 days must pass from the opening of the stonefish fishery until it is closed again. The workflow therefore does not take into account the course of nature, and this must be changed in order to optimize the fishery:

– We now have a lot of knowledge about the movements of stonefish. But nevertheless, we have very strict and rigid rules for stonefish fishing and it is my assessment that it does not always harmonize with the course of nature. 

– That is why we in the Greenlandic Government have set out to change the legislation in this area. However, it takes time to change laws and regulations, and that is why we have decided to take extraordinary measures for this year. As I said, fishing out the quota is slow in most places, explains Peter Borg.

Peter Borg states that it is particularly the 60-day fishing restriction for stonefish that needs to be changed, so that fishing can be more in harmony with nature’s own possibilities and limitations. In addition, they will also look at regulating the quotas in the individual management areas.

– If we look at South Greenland, for example, the big ice is a very decisive factor in whether it is possible to fish out the quota. Last year, for example, there was a lot of big ice. The fishermen wanted to fish out of their quota, but the big ice prevented them from fishing. 

– And since there are certain mathematical formulas and calculations, the fishermen were “punished” for not having fished their quota. The quota for this year has been reduced as a consequence of not fishing their quota last year. So you could say that the fishermen are “punished” partly by nature and partly by the legal framework that exists today.

Too early to draw conclusions

According to the procurement reports, the vast majority of management areas are only halfway through the quota. But Naalakkersuisoq’s fisheries officer, Peter Borg, says it is too early to assess whether this year’s stonefish fishery has failed.

– It is still too early to draw conclusions about this year’s rockfish fishing. But I hope the 20 extra days of fishing will benefit the fishermen and that the rockfish fishing will benefit their economy, despite nature’s limitations.

No risk of losing MSC certificate

One of the things that also needs to be looked at is whether there is sustainable harmony with today’s practice of moving quotas from one management area to the next if the quota has not been fished out in the first management area:

– We would also like to look at the fact that quotas are moved from one management area to the next if the quota has not been fished out in one place. We know that the opening of the fishing season occurs at different times in the management areas, as the availability of stonefish females depends on the temperature conditions in the individual locations, so there may also be a need for adjustment there.

But the rockfish fishery in Greenland is MSC-certified, is there a risk that we could lose the certificate?

– No, there is no risk of losing the MSC certificate. We are and will be in ongoing dialogue with Sustainable Fisheries Greenland, and have, for example, consulted with them about the 20 extra days of fishing for female stonefish. They have informed us that as long as the total TAC for the fishery is not exceeded and as long as the TAC is kept within the recommendations, there will be no risk of losing the certificate.

Watching with excitement the fishermen’s direct exports

Although this year’s rockfish fishing is going slowly, there is still promising development potential. Namely, the fishermen are slowly but surely developing direct exports of the highly sought-after rockfish roe.

– I believe it is a promising development that fishermen can now export directly through air transport. I hope that this development will continue, even though there may have been some teething difficulties.

– We have heard rumors that a late start has led to low prices per kilo, but I am sure that there is great market potential. Especially in these years, when, for example, Denmark has introduced a ban on rockfish fishing. 

– In my opinion, it is important to get Danish buyers used to the fact that the stonefish season is different here. Because in Denmark people are used to the season starting in January and ending around April/May. But here in Greenland the season starts in April, so good marketing will certainly open up opportunities, concludes Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg (D).

The executive order makes it possible to extend the fishing period for commercial fishing for female stonefish in 2025 by 20 calendar days, i.e. up to 80 calendar days, instead of the normal 60 days.

The ordinance makes it possible

This is to give fishermen the opportunity to fish out the quota.

The executive order makes it possible to extend the fishing period for commercial fishing for female stonefish in 2025 by 20 calendar days, i.e. up to 80 calendar days, instead of the normal 60 days.

The ordinance makes it possibleAnnouncement

This is to give fishermen the opportunity to fish out the quota.

– I have followed the development of the quota intake. Already at the beginning it was noticeable that fewer female stonefish were caught compared to previous years, primarily because it is cold and the stonefish have been slow to arrive.

– I therefore demanded at an early stage that we be ready to act extraordinarily if the fishing did not proceed as planned. It now appears that it was necessary, says Peter Borg (D) to Sermitsiaq.

Fishing must adapt to the course of nature in the future

Today, there are very strict and, as Peter Borg calls it, very rigid rules for the stonefish fishery. For example, exactly 60 days must pass from the opening of the stonefish fishery until it is closed again. The workflow therefore does not take into account the course of nature, and this must be changed in order to optimize the fishery:

– We now have a lot of knowledge about the movements of stonefish. But nevertheless, we have very strict and rigid rules for stonefish fishing and it is my assessment that it does not always harmonize with the course of nature. 

– That is why we in the Greenlandic Government have set out to change the legislation in this area. However, it takes time to change laws and regulations, and that is why we have decided to take extraordinary measures for this year. As I said, fishing out the quota is slow in most places, explains Peter Borg.

Peter Borg states that it is particularly the 60-day fishing restriction for stonefish that needs to be changed, so that fishing can be more in harmony with nature’s own possibilities and limitations. In addition, they will also look at regulating the quotas in the individual management areas.

– If we look at South Greenland, for example, the big ice is a very decisive factor in whether it is possible to fish out the quota. Last year, for example, there was a lot of big ice. The fishermen wanted to fish out of their quota, but the big ice prevented them from fishing. 

– And since there are certain mathematical formulas and calculations, the fishermen were “punished” for not having fished their quota. The quota for this year has been reduced as a consequence of not fishing their quota last year. So you could say that the fishermen are “punished” partly by nature and partly by the legal framework that exists today.

Too early to draw conclusions

According to the procurement reports, the vast majority of management areas are only halfway through the quota. But Naalakkersuisoq’s fisheries officer, Peter Borg, says it is too early to assess whether this year’s stonefish fishery has failed.

– It is still too early to draw conclusions about this year’s rockfish fishing. But I hope the 20 extra days of fishing will benefit the fishermen and that the rockfish fishing will benefit their economy, despite nature’s limitations.

No risk of losing MSC certificate

One of the things that also needs to be looked at is whether there is sustainable harmony with today’s practice of moving quotas from one management area to the next if the quota has not been fished out in the first management area:

– We would also like to look at the fact that quotas are moved from one management area to the next if the quota has not been fished out in one place. We know that the opening of the fishing season occurs at different times in the management areas, as the availability of stonefish females depends on the temperature conditions in the individual locations, so there may also be a need for adjustment there.

But the rockfish fishery in Greenland is MSC-certified, is there a risk that we could lose the certificate?

– No, there is no risk of losing the MSC certificate. We are and will be in ongoing dialogue with Sustainable Fisheries Greenland, and have, for example, consulted with them about the 20 extra days of fishing for female stonefish. They have informed us that as long as the total TAC for the fishery is not exceeded and as long as the TAC is kept within the recommendations, there will be no risk of losing the certificate.

Watching with excitement the fishermen’s direct exports

Although this year’s rockfish fishing is going slowly, there is still promising development potential. Namely, the fishermen are slowly but surely developing direct exports of the highly sought-after rockfish roe.

– I believe it is a promising development that fishermen can now export directly through air transport. I hope that this development will continue, even though there may have been some teething difficulties.

– We have heard rumors that a late start has led to low prices per kilo, but I am sure that there is great market potential. Especially in these years, when, for example, Denmark has introduced a ban on rockfish fishing. 

– In my opinion, it is important to get Danish buyers used to the fact that the stonefish season is different here. Because in Denmark people are used to the season starting in January and ending around April/May. But here in Greenland the season starts in April, so good marketing will certainly open up opportunities, concludes Naalakkersuisoq for Fisheries, Hunting, Agriculture and Self-Sustainability, Peter Borg (D).