Technical ReportPDF Available

Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles. Greenland (2016)

May 2017

Affiliation: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Statistics and Information

Authors:

Hunter Snyder

Dartmouth College

3 Nautical Mile Limit for Inshore and Small-Scale Fishing Activity and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Greenland

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Map of the five submissions to United Nations

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Main  layers
Countries - Union of countr ies
Bas e layers
FAO fishing areas
200 nautical miles arcs
FAO Fishing Areas codes
Source of information
Imagery for continents and oceans reproduced from G EBCO, www.gebco.net
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
for a world without hunger
Fisheries and
Aquaculture Department
Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles
Greenland
 
Part I Overview and main indicators
1.  Country brief
2.  General geographic and economic indicators
3.  FAO Fisheries statistics
Part II Narrative (2016)
4.  Production sector
Marine sub-sector
Aquaculture sub-sector
Recreational sub-sector
5.  Post-harvest sector
6.  Socio-economic contribution of the fishery sector
Food security
7.  Trends, issues and development
Constraints and opportunities
Research, education and training
8.  Institutional framework
9.  Legal framework
Regional and international legal framework
10.  Annexes
11.  References
Additional information
12.  FAO Thematic data bases
13.  Publications
14.  Meetings & News archive
FAO Fisheries and  Aquaculture Dep artment

Part I Overview and main indicators

Part I of the Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profile is compiled using the most up-to-date

information available from the FAO Country briefs and Statistics programmes at the time of

publication. The Country Brief and the FAO Fisheries Statistics provided in Part I may, however,

have been prepared at different times, which would explain any inconsistencies.

Country brief

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark which consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland.

Greenland has the legislative power in areas of responsibility which have been or are transferred from the Danish

state to the Greenland Self Government amongst which the fisheries sector.

Greenland’s agriculture and livestock activities are very limited and its economic activities have traditionally been

sea-oriented. Fishing is the primary industry of the country. Greenland has a total of 22 ports located throughout

the country but not all ports are accessible all year around. Greenland’s deeply indented coastline is 39 330km

long. The continental shelf is approximately of 260 007 km2 and the fishing zone is of about 186 552 km2.

There were 297 Greenlandic fishing estimated vessels registered in the Danish Maritime Authority`s Registry in

2014. The fishing fleet for management purposes is mainly split between coastal fishing and ocean fishing.

Coastal fleet are less than 120 GT, however there are exemptions. This fleet is mainly managed by fishing licences

within both the Individual Transferable Quota system (ITQ) and free quota within TAC limits. Main commercial

species in Greenlandic waters are demersal species, however crustaceans and pelagic species do also play a major

role for the industry.

In the offshore fishery traditionally two species are major subjects; shrimp and Greenland halibut but from 2012

the Atlantic mackerel has also become increasingly important. The shrimp fishery is managed by an ITQ system

and the Greenland halibut fishery is managed by licensing and TAC restrictions.

Marine capture production has been increasing during last years between 209 000 tonnes and 292 000 tonnes from

2010 to 2014. Bulk of the catches are Atlantic mackerel (86 000 tonnes) and Northern prawn (78 000 tonnes). No

inland catches are reported.

The catch of marine mammals as a traditional activity of the Inuit culture remains active in Greenland, even though

raising some contentious between Greenland and other non-whaling countries.

Perhaps due to the lack of experience with aquaculture, the very high costs of operation in Greenland and the

adverse weather conditions Aquaculture production is inexistent in Greenland.

The fisheries sector plays a significant contribution to the Greenland’s economy and a crucial role in domestic food

consumption. In 2014, exports of fish and fishery products (worth USD 515 million) represented more than 95%

of total merchandise trade of the country. Main products exported were shrimp, halibut, cod and crab. In the same

year, Greenland’s imports of fish and fishery products were valued at only USD 0.6 million. The annual apparent

per capita fish consumption is one of the highest at world level, with an estimated 86.9 kg per capita in 2013.

In Greenland, the fisheries sector provided about 6 800 jobs in 2013.

Falling shrimp prices have put fisheries under pressure in recent years. At the same time, overfishing and declining

levels of shrimp in Greenlandic waters have led to a reduction of the shrimp quota by 25% from 2012 to 2013.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

Greenland has fishing agreements with the Faroe Islands, Norway, Russia, Iceland, and the EU. The agreement

with the EU is the only agreement in which the granting of fishing rights in Greenlandic waters is matched by an

annual economic contribution. The other agreements ensure Greenland rights to fish in other the waters of other

nations while other nations are granted the same rights for fishing in Greenlandic waters.

The island’s dependence on a fish industry that is rather susceptible to problems of overfishing and marketing

fluctuating prices, has become one of the main challenges in the late 20th century. Greenland therefore attempted

to diversify its economy, and much emphasis was placed on the tourist industry. Greenland is also a focus of the

EU’s Arctic policy.

Greenland has been Party to the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea since 16 November 2004 when it

was ratified by the Kingdom of Denmark. (Treaties ratified by the Kingdom of Denmark are automatically

extended to Greenland unless the ratification is accompanied by a declaration or other statement that the treaty does

not extend to Greenland.)

Membership in Regional Fishery Bodies

North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO)

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

General geographic and economic indicators

Table 1 - General Geographic and Economic Data - Greenland

Source

Marine water area (including

the EEZ)

186 552

km2Sea around us: http://www.seaaroundus.org/

Shelf area 260 007

km2Sea around us: http://www.seaaroundus.org/

Length of continental

coastline

39 330

Encyclopaedia Britannica:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Greenland

Fisheries GDP Not

available

*Value converted by FAO as per UN currency exchange rate

Source

GDP (current US$) 2 441 millions World Bank. 2014

GDP per capita (current US$) 43 365 US$ World Bank. 2014

FAO Fisheries statistics

Table 2 in this section is based on statistics prepared by the FAO Fishery Information, Data and Statistics Unit and

disseminated in 2016. The charts are based on the same source but these are automatically updated every year with

the most recent statistics.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

Table 2— FAO fisheries statistics - Greenland

1980 1990 2000 2010 2012 2013 2014

PRODUCTION (thousand tonnes) 103.74 143.33 159.71 209.45 222.89 270.40 293.50

Inland … … … … … … …

Marine 103.74 143.33 159.71 209.45 222.89 270.40 293.50

Aquaculture … … … … … … …

Inland …………………

Marine …………………

Capture 103.74 143.33 159.71 209.45 222.89 270.40 293.50

Inland …………………

Marine 103.74 143.33 159.71 209.45 222.89 270.48 293.50

TRADE (USD million)

Import 0.78 1.83 1.43 6.03 5.70 9.50 5.60

Export 137.56 375.91 266.32 355.62 446.50 462.50 470.80

EMPLOYMENT (thousands) … … … 3.41 3.41 3.43 3.52

Aquaculture

Capture … … … 3.41 3.41 3.43 3.52

Inland

Marine

FLEET(thousands boats) 0.08 0.46 1.00 0.49 0.34 0.38 0.30

APPARENT FOOD CONSUMPTION

Fish food supply (thousand tonnes in

live weight equivalent) 4.17 4.63 4.73 4.91 4.91 4.95

Per Capita Supply (kilograms) 83.40 82.60 84.40 86.10 86.20 86.90

Fish Proteins (grams per capita per

day) 23.70 21.50 18.60 28.70 28.50 27.50

Fish/Animal Proteins (%) 33.00 33.20 37.00 40.50 44.10 39.60

Fish/Total Proteins (%) 22.20 23.50 24.70 25.30 26.80 25.50

Source: FAO Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics

1) Excluding aquatic plants

2) Due to roundings total may not sum up

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

Updated 2016

Part II Narrative

Part II of the Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profile provides supplementary information that is

based on national and other sources and that is valid at the time of compilation (see update year

above). References to these sources are provided as far as possible.

Production sector

Although Greenland has a relatively brief yet vibrant fishing history, the contemporary significance of fishing is

incontrovertible, particularly within small- and large-scale marine capture fisheries. As the largest island in the

world, Greenland stretches over 23 latitudinal degrees (60-83°N). Fishing takes place largely throughout the entire

coastline, particularly within the reach of small settlements and towns as well as offshore. Although the country

lacks inland fishing on account of the extent of world’s second largest ice cap across its land, it hosts substantial

marine and recreational fisheries. As the most sparsely-populated country in the world, small-scale fisheries play a

vital role in the national economy and are an important livelihood for Greenlanders. Fisheries ensure food security,

help reduce poverty and support cultural cohesion throughout the towns and small settlements that speckle the

country’s 44,087 km2 of coastline

Marine sub-sector

Catch profile

As the largest contributor to fisheries capture production in Greenland, the marine sub-sector has seen consistent

positive growth over the last three decades. Greenland’s main marine capture fisheries consist of mackerel, capelin,

Atlantic cod, Greenland halibut, Atlantic halibut, Blue whiting, haddock, Saithe, Roundnose grenadier, Greenland

cod, Polar cod, Ling, Lumpfish, Redfish, Wolffish, Queen crab, Atlantic herring, Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, and

Iceland scallop. The wild capture species have remained more or less the same, with the exception of a new

Atlantic mackerel fishery that began with modest landings in 2011. Greenland shark, Raja rays, Tusk, Ling and

American plaice as part of Greenland’s marine capture production as they are no longer caught commercially.

Northern prawn: The shrimp or Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) fishery takes place throughout the West

coast of Greenland. The fishing fleet for Northern prawn is state-of-the-art and boasts ultra-efficient onboard

processing capabilities and limited bycatch. 25% of all catches in Greenland are landed in towns and settlements

by law to support the local labor markets. The remaining 75% of catches are processed on board. While some

processed product are destined for local consumption, most are exported to the European Union as well as to Asia,

where in particular a market exists for the largest Northern prawn.

The Northern prawn continues to dominate the sub-sector in capture production, followed by Atlantic mackerel

(Scomber scombrus) and thereafter by Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). However, 2008 was the

highest landing year on record for Northern prawn and has since experienced a downward trend of capture

production of this high-value species.

Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus): A mackerel fishery has become viable in recent years due in part to

changing ocean temperatures, which have forced stocks to migrate northward. Fishing began in 2011 with a

modest capture production and has since exploded to being the second largest fishery by capture production.

Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides): In contrast to the Northern prawn fishery, Greenland halibut

has maintained a positive rate of growth since the 1980s and has not experienced reduced capture production in

recent years, notwithstanding 2007 and 2010. The Northern prawn fishery is almost exclusively carried out by

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

large-scale fishing operators, while the Greenland halibut fishery is realized through both small- and large-scale

fishing activity. Small-scale fishers contribute to the capture production of Greenland halibut within the three-mile

coastal area and are heavily concentrated in Qeqertarsuup tunua (English, Disko Bay) and Nuup Kangerlua

(English, Nuuk Fjord). Offshore fishing of Greenland halibut is the exclusive domain of large-scale operators and

takes place throughout the Davis Strait.

Since the 1980s, capture production for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) continues a negative trend of capture

production. However, after landings were nearly cut in half in the 1990s, marine capture production has

maintained positive growth. Unlike cod, the inshore capelin (Mallotus villosus) fishery has fluctuated. In the mid

to late 1990’s, capture production peaked and has since oscillated between lower and higher capture production

relative to previous years. Although not a hallmark species of Greenland’s seafood export, Atlantic herring

(Clupea harengus) has been fished since 2001, but only recently has it entered Greenland’s top-ten largest marine

capture production fisheries.

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), which are caught primarily by Greenland’s expansive small-scale fishing fleet,

have been and continue to be a mainstay fishery for the country. Capture production for Lumpfish remains stable,

although recent certification of this fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council is expected to have limiting effects

on capture production and in turn further stabilize the fishery.

The redfish (Sebastes marinus) fishery has seen significant fluctuations in marine capture production, from periods

of low landings to multi-year campaigns where stocks were fished with yields increasing every year, followed

thereafter by sharp drop-offs. As a slow-growing species, redfish require several years to reach maturity, which is

why the fishery has experienced periods of low capture production and maintains an historically neutral trend of

marine capture production.

Since landings peaked in 2001, marine capture production for Queen crab have suffered a drastic downward

trend with landings approaching the size that they were when the fishery began in 1992. Wolffish (Anarhichas

lupus) maintain a negative trend with catches in the 80s being four times what they were in 2014. In the last five

years, marine capture production has plateaued and there are no indicators that this fishery is expected to increase.

A small but valuable fishery, Iceland scallops (Chlamys islandica) continues a modest positive trend of growth

over the lifetime of the fishery. Atlantic salmon and Arctic char (Salmo salar and Salvelinus alpinus, respectively)

are among the smallest fisheries in terms of marine capture production. Both Atlantic salmon and Arctic char

maintain historically downward trends of marine capture production. At present, Atlantic salmon are a restricted

domestic-only, subsistence fishery, which significantly limits marine capture production. Arctic char, like Atlantic

salmon are also a fish commonly caught for subsistence and domestic consumption.

Landing sites

There are several small and a few major landing sites throughout Greenland. In 2014, the largest landings by

volume were in the port of Ilulissat, followed by Aasiaat, Nuuk and Sisimiut, all of which are on the West coast of

Greenland. Northern prawn is the most commonly landed species in Nuuk, followed by Atlantic cod, Lumpfish

and Greenland halibut. While more Northern prawn are landed in Sisimiut than in Nuuk, fewer Lumpfish are

landed there when compared to Nuuk.

Aasiaat receives the largest landings of Northern prawn. Ilulissat receives more Greenland halibut than any other

port in Greenland, due largely to the dominance of Greeland halibut fishing in the Disko Bay. Of the species

landed in smaller amounts, Paamiut is where the highest landings of Queen crab are landed. Maniitsoq receives the

highest landings of Wolffish and Nuuk has highest landings of Atlantic salmon, due in part to the nearby Kapisillit

River where salmon run. More capelin are landed in Qasigiannguit than anywhere else in the country.

Fishing practices/systems

Greenland’s fishers utilize a wide array of some of the most technologically advanced techniques as well as an

assortment of regionally-determined methods. The largest marine capture production fisheries take place with the

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

support of Greenland’s modern and ultra-efficient trawlers, some of which use 3D sonar, net weight and depth

sensors as well as video cameras to ensure high yields and to reduce bycatch. These and other technologies are

especially important in the trawl fisheries for Northern prawn and Greenland halibut.

Large vessels, of which there are few, catch cod, haddock and saithe in the Barents Sea as well as mackerel,

capelin, herring and whiting in East Greenland and to a lesser extent in Iceland. Greenland halibut are also fished

in North and Southwest Greenland. Onboard processing of sea-cooked shrimp is the most common processing

methods. A proportion of shrimp product is sold raw with minimal processing to high-end markets in Japan and

some for human consumption as well as for industrial purposes in overseas markets. Capacity of some of the

largest vessels can exceed 10,000 tons.

Inshore vessels implement a number of similar technologies and are also known to use more selective gear,

particularly long-line methods. Drawing heavily from Iceland and Denmark’s technological offerings for advanced

and automated long-line systems, several vessels that fish for Greenland halibut, Redfish and other ground fish

with a high degree of efficiency and selectivity. Electronic jigging machines as well as hand jigging remain

especially popular for fishing cod (Gadus morhua) and are also found on small dinghies. Although the largest

yields of cod are caught during the summer months with cod traps from small and large vessels. Crab fishing takes

place with crab pots and buoys and scallop fishing with trawler dredges.

Although the small-scale or inshore fleet may use the smallest average vessel length overall, its technology is also

efficient and in some cases novel. In the inshore coastal shelf areas, cod are caught with hand and spindle jigging.

In winter months, especially in North Greenland, Greenland halibut are caught on the sea ice with spindle long-

lines which are cast through a hole in the ice and drift away from the fisher and her/his dog sledge.

In summer months, capelin (Mallotus villosus) are caught with pole nets in inner fjord areas where they are found

in exceptionally large concentrations. In similar geographical areas, salmon and Arctic char (Salmo salar and

Salvelinus alpinus, respectively) are fished with gillnets which are customarily anchored to land and set seaward

about 10-15m. These gillnets are usually kept afloat near the surface to catch migrating chars and salmons with the

aid of buoys. Similar to the char and salmon fishery is lumpfish fishing, which is carried out with the same gillnets

used for chars and salmon but which are cast as driftnets and as nets affixed on one end to the coastline.

Greenland’s fishing fleets have adapted to shifts in the country’s fisheries policy. Fleet reorganization has led to a

downward trend of vessel numbers over the past twenty years, due in part both to increasing efficiency and in

some cases shrinking maximum sustainable yields for certain fishes such as was the case of cod in the 1990s.

Agreements with neighboring countries such as Norway, Iceland and Russia have helped to retain employment

and vessel usage during periods when national quotas were low. Although subsistence, small-scale fishing vessels

are not counted as part of national fleet statistics, the regulatory body, Greenland Fisheries and License Control

(GFLK), estimate the fleet size of small-scale fishing vessels to be approximately 1,500 and growing. With

conservative estimates, the small-scale fishing fleet of Greenland is over five times the number of the registered

vessels.

Main resources

The principal stocks exploited by Greenland are concentrated within the country’s EEZ but also throughout FAO

zones 21 and 27. Greenland’s fishing privileges extend northeast to the Svalbard zone, into the Barents Sea and as

far South as the Flemish Cap region off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. As mentioned earlier,

Greenland’s primary marine capture production is centered around demersal fisheries, with special attention on

Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). Cod (Gadus morhua),

haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Pollock (Pollachius virens) and to an increasing degree Atlantic mackerel

(Scomber scombrus) are also main resources of Greenland’s fisheries. There is an upward trend of exploitation of

pelagic mackerel stocks off the coast of Greenland. While tuna now enter East Greenlandic waters, a tuna fishery

does not yet exist nor are bycatch of tuna in mackerel fisheries reported in national statistics.

Management applied to main fisheries

The fisheries of Greenland are managed through an array of allocation systems. Management can be broken into

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

inshore and small-scale fisheries and offshore, large-scale sectors. The basis of Greenland’s fisheries for both small

and large sectors is the total allowable catch (TAC) as recommended through the biological advice of the

Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and mandated by the Ministry of Hunting, Fisheries and Agriculture of

the Government of Greenland.

Inshore and Small-Scale Fisheries Management:

To manage the several thousand dinghies and other small, open-deck vessels, managers further break the coastal

fleets into two categories:

1. ITQ fisheries with TAC

2. TAC, Free-quota fisheries (also referred to as Olympic fisheries)

Vessel size is also a factor that splits offshore and coastal fishing fleets, as no vessel larger than 120 GT is

permitted within the 3-mile limit. Some exceptions do exist whereby shrimp trawlers operate within the 3-mile

limit. Some small vessels also operate outside of the 3-mile limit for the purposes of fishing lumpfish.

Offshore Fisheries Management

Offshore vessels are managed with the ITQ system as well as licenses and abide by the TAC. Trawls are the only

gear allowed for the two principal exploited stocks of Northern prawn and Greenland halibut. The Northern prawn

fishery is conducted under an ITQ whereas the Greenland halibut and Atlantic mackerel fishery utilizes licenses

and a TAC.

The Government of Greenland is responsible for allocating all licenses for the Northern prawn fishery, of which

four types of commercial, transferrable licenses are available. While all offshore fishing operators are required by

law to land at least 25% of catches for on-land processing, there also exists one license for fishing shrimp within

the 3-mile limit fishers that requires all catches be landed to a processing plant.

For Greenland halibut, the primary management areas are broken into two zones: above and below 68°00’N.

While the Southern region is one area including both West and East Greenland, the Northern region is further

divided into three management areas. In the Southern region fishers are required to possess a license and sell their

catch to Greenlandic processors. In the Northern region, the management areas of Disko bay, Uummannaq and

Upernavik constitute the largest supply of and value of Greenland halibut in all of Greenland. In the three

management areas of the Northern region, further vessel restrictions are in place that restrict vessels over 31.99 GT

(Executive Order No. 2, 2nd Februrary 2012, Coastal Fisheries for Greenland Halibut, Section 1). This restriction

only applies within the 3-mile inshore zone.

Licenses

Eligibility to apply for a license to fish is based upon the applicant’s history of fishing full-time in the previous two

calendar years and that more than 50% of their income is derived from fishing activities. This is set out in the

Fisheries Management Act, no. 18 of 31st October 1996. The following species are available to a license holder

under an open access TAC: cod, redfish, catfish, capelin, salmon and other insignificant amounts of other fish

(Berthlsen, 2014: 5). Because the TAC is available to all license holders, a ‘race to fish’ is common if the TAC for

a specific species is a main resource is too small to be equitably shared among license holders. This behavior is

why the fishery is referred to as ‘Olympic’ in nature.

The Queen crab fishery of Greenland is restricted to vessels below 120 GT with the exception of a 250 MT quota

that is allocated to the EU. For comparative purposes, in 2014, the TAC was 2,800 MT, of which 2,550 were

available for local, coastal fishers. Quotas are allocated only for the West coast, in which six management zones

are differentiated. Fishers are allowed to set a maximum of 50 pots per cast with a mesh size no smaller than 140

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

mm. Only males can be landed and must be larger than 100 mm across the shell. The fishery has a high value to

weight ratio. The TAC for Queen Crab has been reduced at the same time as landings are declining.

The Lumpfish fishery utilizes a combination of management instruments to ensure sustainability and to uphold its

recently-awarded Marine Stewardship Council’s certification. Fishing-day limits and a quota have been introduced

to uphold the MSC certification. A majority of the fishing activity takes place aboard vessels shorter than 30 feet

LOA, although a handful of larger vessels also participate. The start and stop days of the fishery are decided

through stakeholder consultation and are based upon the quality of the roe. Although lumpfish fishing can take

place throughout the NAFO areas, the most value is generated from areas outside of Nuuk.

As a longstanding fishery in Greenland, fishing for cod requires only a standard fishing and hunting license issued

from the Government of Greenland. Since the 1990’s when cod disappeared rapidly, the marine capture

production of this staple fish have been low and so too have the stock assessments. To allow stocks to rebuild, cod

TACs remained low through 2018. The fishery is open to cod traps, handlines and gillnets, with the trap season

taking place in May and June. Gillnet usage are approved for use by local municipalities. In light of the hope that

the cod stock will rebound and once again become a staple fishery, the cod fishery is subsidized to keep it afloat.

In turn, fishers who participate in the cod fishery in non-competitive areas are paid the lowest prices per kilo,

particularly in settlements where cod is one of the very few fishes caught and sold.

Management objectives

The principal objective of Greenland’s fisheries management is to ensure sustainable and economical national

fisheries. The recent coalition agreement between Siumut, Demokraatit and Atassut of 2014-2018 establishes that

dynamic development must be initiated within fisheries, tourism, land-based activities, and the trades and industry.

The management that is in place is designed to ensure that new income opportunities are driven from fisheries and

the fisheries industry with the ultimate goal of ensuring higher returns to society.

Fishing communities

Almost all of Greenland’s towns and settlements can be described as fishing communities, as subsistence and/or

recreational fishing takes place in all locales with few exceptions. More importantly, local economies in many

settlements and towns are supported by land-based, post-harvest activities and/or small and large-scale fishing

activities. The towns, Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Qaqortoq, Aasiaat, Maniitsoq, Paamiut, Narsaq, Nanortalik,

Uummannaq, Upernavik and Qasigiannguit are fishing communities. Exceptions include settlements and towns in

East Greenland, where economies are largely supported by tourism and hunting activities, as well as inner-fjord

settlements, such as Kangerlussuaq. In settlements and towns, fishing is recognized as important for its economic

contributions, for cultural cohesion and for food security.

Aquaculture sub-sector

At present, Greenland does not support an aquaculture sub-sector, due to its terrestrial geography. Most of the

landmass is covered by the world’s second largest ice sheet, lakes are frozen for most of the year and the prospects

of digging aquaculture ponds are limited on account of the limited soil and available terrestrial sedimentation.

Biogeographically, the Arctic is characterized by slow growth, whereas aquaculture has primarily thrived in

latitudes closer to the equator. Exceptions found in Norway and Canada suggest that Greenland could develop an

aquaculture sub-sector within its marine waters in the future.

One major, government-owned seafood company, Royal Greenland A/S, has experimented with mariculture cages

for Atlantic cod near Maniitsoq, Greenland. However, national statistics do not differentiate capture fisheries from

these activities. There have also been unsuccessful attempts to farm char (Salvelinus alpinus) and blue mussels

(Mytilus edulis), but results have not been profitable. In addition, researchers from the Greenland Institute of

Natural Resources have begun exploring the potential for seaweed production through wild capture production as

well as in a farmed manner.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

Recreational sub-sector

Recreational fishing is especially vital and politically prioritized in Greenland. A significant majority of the

population engage in recreational fishing, the primary purpose of which is for subsistence. Forthcoming reports

from the Economy of the North Initiative indicate that subsistence fishing activities play an important role in local

food security, are crucial for sustaining cultural cohesion and are also recognized by many to be part of Inuit

heritage. Subsistence fishing is a cultural heritage activity and manifests itself throughout East and West

Greenland, from North to South.

Fishing recreationally does not require a license or permit and can be carried out in a non-commercial capacity

using small dinghies. Commonly fished fishes include Atlantic cod by hand-line, Greenland halibut, wolfish and

redfish by pole, Lumpfish, Arctic char and salmon by drifting or partially-anchored gillnets, and blue mussels and

sea urchins by hand or with a pole net.

All fish can be caught recreationally with the exception of salmon, which requires residents of Greenland to apply

for a license. Greenland’s fisheries control body, Greenland Fisheries and License Control (GFLK) are heavily

invested in the monitoring of the salmon fishery. GFLK tracks daily catch returns and license utilization. When the

fishery closes, GFLK staff call the several hundred license holders with the request to ensure all catches have been

reported and that all fishing activity has stopped.

Post-harvest sector

The post-harvest sector in Greenland is supplied with unprocessed fish from landings carried out by Greenlandic

fishing vessels in Greenlandic waters. The post-harvest sector is broken into onboard and land-based processing

facilities. All inshore vessels are required to land 100% of fish unprocessed, whereas offshore vessels are required

to land only 25% of fish unprocessed. This legislation is designed to support local labor markets where

employment opportunities are otherwise limited and occasionally volatile.

Fish factories are found throughout the coasts of Greenland. Depending on market prices, factories have

historically opened and closed with a high degree of volatility, which especially stresses small settlement labor

markets where employment alternatives are limited or non-existent. However, many factories provide regular

employment and in high seasons, additional positions become available. The post-harvest sector’s employment

base fluctuates in summer months when the climate is conducive to recreational hunting and fishing. Factories

struggle to keep up with landed catches as portions of the workforce take leave in the summer months. Employers

also take on and reduce portions of the factory workforce on account of shifts in market prices, fluctuations in

landings and other environmental factors.

The utilization of ‘more of the fish’ has historically been limited in Greenland. However, global momentum and

regional leaders of maximum fish utilization in the sub-Arctic region have provided examples and inspiration to

Greenlandic firms to grow the sector. Northern prawn are processed in some quantities for nonhuman consumption

and there is promise in the cod fishery to produce fish oils and powder from bones, although neither of the latter

are currently taking place. The fishing industry of Iceland in collaboration with the Consulate of Iceland has

organized fishing industry trips to Iceland to promote knowledge sharing. Participation in those events has been

sparse. However, the coalition agreement between the political parties of Siumut, Demokraatit and Atassut of

2014-2018 has consensus and has agreed to ensure that fish processing uses all of the raw material.

Socio-economic contribution of the fishery sector

Greenland receives a block grant of ca. USD 570 million per year from Denmark, the amount of which has been

frozen since 2009 when the country attained a self-rule governance. The provisional figure for GDP in 2013 was

USD$11,198 million and the real GDP growth rate was -1.9%. Since 1980 and in the past decade, production in

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

both inshore and offshore fisheries maintain a positive trend of growth. Typically, offshore fisheries contribute

more in marine capture production and value than inshore variants. Fishing has historically been the second-largest

employer, with public administration and service employing almost three times the number of people working in

the fishing sector. Since Greenland achieved a self-rule status in 2009, fishing has become very profitable, but not

as profitable as wholesale, retail and repair work was in 2014.

Greenland’s fisheries sector is an essential industry upon which many settlement economies and their residents

depend. The dependence upon Greenland’s marine capture fisheries is especially pronounced in settlements where

fishing and post-harvest employment constitute the largest source of income for its residents. Even though many

settlement fishers are paid the lowest prices per kilo in the country, their ability to sell fish regularly provides

crucial economic stability to the settlements. To further support the role of fisheries in the national economy, the

Coalition Agreement of Siumut, Demokraatit and Atassut for 2014-2018 set out to increase the earnings from

fisheries, the policies of which are rooted in the concerns of settlement constituents whose economic opportunities

are largely limited to fishing.

Looking outward, Greenland’s national trade portfolio is marked primarily by the import of raw materials and in

particular fuels and the export of fish and fish products. Europe is the largest market of Greenland’s fish exports,

followed by Asia, and North America. Growth in Asian markets continues a positive trend. Most of Greenland’s

exports are for human consumption with a small portion utilized for nonhuman consumption. Trade takes place

almost exclusively through Denmark, namely through the port of Aalborg, where Royal Arctic Line, the

Government-owned shipping monopoly has its Danish port. All goods coming in and out of Greenland that travel

by ship must be carried by Royal Arctic Line. Greenland’s capacity to expand trade is limited by the shipping

monopoly, despite markets for its fish products being strong in nearby countries. It is national policy to increase

taxes levied on unprocessed fish that is exported, the goal of which is to augment employment opportunities on

land and in turn to grow the country’s post-harvest sector.

Food security

Comprehensive national surveys such as the Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic indicate that subsistence

economies that are built around the sharing of fish and meat remain important in Greenland and contribute to food

security (Poppel, 2011; Poppel and Kruse, 2009; Snyder and Poppel, 2016). Although all towns and settlements in

Greenland have access to food shipped in from Denmark, the frequency of shipments is more limited in East

Greenland and in more remote settlements. In particular, residents of smaller or more remote settlements augment

protein intake with fish that, a. are shared by fellow residents, b. purchased from local fish markets, and/or c. are

caught from small dinghies.

Trends, issues and development

The fishery sector faces several constraints as well as opportunities. Economic growth through the fishery sector is

constrained by the abundance of several key living marine resources. The Northern prawn fishery is the highest

value fishery and is in decline. In addition, while the Greenland halibut fishery of above 68°00’N is managed,

fishing activities below 68°00’N and in particular within the Nuuk Fjord lack the political will to implement

management and have been described by the scientific community to be at risk (Siegstad, 2010). The Minister of

Fisheries has called for the implementation of a TAC in the Nuuk Fjord but a quota has not been established.

Greenland is biogeographically constrained from developing an aquaculture sector, as cold water temperatures

inhibit rapid growth of fish species suited for aquaculture. Infrastructurally and geographically, while Greenland’s

shipping monopoly with the Government-owned Royal Arctic Line provides reliable service to all settlements,

other major shippers are not permitted to ship goods to Greenland or from the country or to other nearby ports in

Iceland, North America and throughout Europe where expansive markets exist. The principal issues with the

shipping arrangement are that it can constrict access to alternative markets and regulates competitive pricing for

Greenland’s high quality seafood offerings.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Dep artment

There are however a number of opportunities that could further Greenland’s national fisheries objectives. Royal

Greenland has recently invested in Quin-Sea-Fisheries, the first-ever acquisition of a Canadian seafood company

by the Government-owned seafood company. The acquisition could augment Greenland’s knowledge around the

fishing of Queen crab, Northern prawn and other North Atlantic fishes and shellfish, several of which have

suffered declines in capture production in recent years.

On the front of education and research, higher education for natural resource sciences will increase in the next

decade as the University of Greenland expands its disciplinary offerings for hard science subjects. Partnerships

with the adjacent Greenland Institute of Natural Resources will provide hands-on training, research exposure and

teaching resources. A Greenlandic natural science program will strengthen the competitiveness of Greenlandic

students who seek careers in the management and science of living marine resources in their home country.

In relation to new fisheries, Greenland has several unexploited living marine resources that hold value for

international markets. Red, brown and green seaweeds are found in great abundance throughout Greenland’s

coasts. Robust markets exist for seaweeds and aquatic plants and some research on seaweed growth is ongoing at

the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. In addition, the exploitation of sea cucumber and sea urchin holds

high promise for export to Asian markets. Although gear, processing, packaging and supply-chain development of

a sea urchin fishery is ongoing, scientific, management, and control assessments of a sea urchin fishery have yet to

be produced with comparable detail.

While previous aquaculture projects in Greenland have largely failed, new technological offerings in the

aquaculture sector and ongoing projects with Atlantic cod near Maniitsoq are equipping Royal Greenland with the

experience and know-how to lead a mariculture sector should it become economically viable within the cold

waters of Greenland. The fishery that currently holds the most appeal for Greenland’s marine capture production is

the Atlantic mackerel fishery, which, if managed and exploited with care, could help make up for recent declines

in the marine capture production of other staple fisheries. In the long-term, the possibility also exists that warming

water temperatures could bring other fisheries to Greenland and diminish the abundance of pre-existing ones.

Constraints and opportunities