The Government of Iceland has allocated fishing quota for deep-sea redfish despite scientific concerns from the Icelandic MRI and ICES
The Icelandic government has controversially decided to allocate a 3,800-tonne quota for deep-sea redfish during the current fishing year, defying scientific recommendations to suspend fishing in order to protect the stock.
Prime Minister and Minister for Food, Bjarni Benediktsson, signed the regulation change, which was published in the government gazette yesterday. Of the allocated quota, 3,599 tonnes will be distributed based on existing shares, while 201 tonnes are reserved for regional and community quotas.
Stock Under Threat
Both Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) had recommended a complete ban on deep-sea redfish fishing for the 2024/2025 season. They highlighted that the spawning stock biomass remains critically below precautionary levels, with poor recruitment further exacerbating the situation.
“Deep-sea redfish is a slow-growing, late-maturing species particularly vulnerable to overfishing,” stated the scientific advisory. “Given the current recruitment outlook, the spawning stock is expected to decline further in the foreseeable future.”
No targeted fishing for deep-sea redfish occurred during the previous fishing year (2023/2024), although Icelandic vessels landed nearly 3,165 tonnes of the species as bycatch.
Industry Encouragement and Government Rationale
The decision to allocate the quota follows pressure from the Icelandic Association of Captains and the Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners (SFS). According to Jón Gunnarsson, Assistant to the Minister for Food, the move is intended to ensure efficient fishing practices and reduce waste.
“This decision aligns with the utilisation of golden redfish and Greenland halibut stocks, which are nearly impossible to fish without some bycatch of deep-sea redfish,” Gunnarsson told Vísir.
The quota allows unavoidable bycatch to be landed without requiring its classification as VS catch or relying on species transfers.
Economic Impact and Policy Controversy
Critics have accused the Ministry of Food of prioritising economic factors over sustainability. In 2023, the ban on deep-sea redfish fishing led to significant challenges for the industry, with some operators forced to sell newly purchased vessels.
“We need to balance economic considerations with resource management,” said Guðmundur Kristjánsson, CEO of Brim, one of Iceland’s largest fishing companies. “A reduced quota would have been more effective than an outright ban, which caused financial harm to our operations.”
Limited Flexibility in Management
While measures like VS catch registration and species transfers offer flexibility in fisheries management, their financial benefits are minimal. Under current rules, up to 0.5% of pelagic catch or 5% of other catch can be excluded from a vessel’s quota if auctioned. However, the vessel operator receives only 20% of the sale value, with 80% going to the government.
Future Implications
The allocation of the deep-sea redfish quota highlights the ongoing tension between scientific advice and industry demands. While the government seeks to ensure economic stability for fishing communities, concerns about long-term stock sustainability remain unresolved.
As the debate continues, the decision underscores the challenges of balancing ecological preservation with socio-economic pressures in fisheries management.
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