Iceland’s small boat owners urge Icelandic minister to ban capelin pair trawling as dispute over fishing methods intensifies
Small Boat Association Presses Minister on Capelin Fishing Method
Iceland’s National Association of Small Boat Owners has called on the Minister of Industry to immediately revoke all authorisations allowing capelin to be fished using pair trawls, escalating long-running tensions over fishing methods within the Icelandic fishing sector.
The demand is set out in a formal resolution adopted by the board of Landssamband smábátaeigenda at a meeting held on 23 January 2026, and submitted to the Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, on 27 January.
In the resolution, the association’s board urges the minister “to immediately abolish all permissions to fish capelin with pair trawls”, a method it has repeatedly criticised for its impact on smaller vessels and its perceived dominance by larger operators.
Growing Dispute Over Capelin Fishing Methods
The intervention comes amid renewed focus on capelin management following a sharp increase in scientific advice for the 2025/2026 season. While higher quotas have been welcomed across parts of the fishing industry, they have also revived disputes over how the fishery should be prosecuted and who benefits most from it.
Small boat representatives have long argued that pair trawling for capelin concentrates fishing opportunities in the hands of a limited number of larger vessels, marginalising smaller operators who rely on different gears and seasonal access to sustain their businesses.
Although the resolution itself does not elaborate on technical or environmental arguments, its blunt wording reflects frustration within the small boat sector that previous appeals on capelin fishing methods have failed to produce regulatory change.
Direct Appeal to the Minister
The letter is addressed directly to Hanna Katrín Friðriksson in her role as Minister of Industry, placing political responsibility squarely with the government. By calling for the immediate removal of all authorisations, the association is not seeking a review or phased adjustment, but a clear and decisive intervention.
The timing of the appeal suggests concern that, without ministerial action, the upcoming capelin season will proceed under the same framework that small boat operators believe disadvantages them structurally.
Wider Implications for Capelin Management
Capelin is a short-lived and highly variable stock, and its management has historically been contentious in Iceland. Disagreements over gear types, access rights, and allocation have repeatedly surfaced during periods of stock recovery, particularly when higher quotas are announced after poor seasons.
The demand from Landssamband smábátaeigenda adds another layer of pressure to an already sensitive policy area, where ministers must balance scientific advice, fleet structure, regional employment, and competing economic interests within the fishing community.
Conclusion And Next Steps
Whether the minister responds to the demand remains to be seen. The resolution leaves little room for compromise, and any decision to revoke pair trawling permissions would have significant implications for vessels currently authorised to fish capelin using that method.
At the same time, ignoring the appeal risks deepening divisions within the fishing sector at a point when stability and predictability are being promoted as priorities. With the capelin season approaching, the government’s handling of this request is likely to be closely watched by both small boat owners and larger fleet operators.
