It’s easy to impose a ban. It’s much harder to prove that a ban is necessary.
Jens Kleist of Avannaa Fisheries writes this in a press release and continues:
That is precisely why the debate on coastal trawl fishing for cod should focus less on emotions and more on facts. Because when politicians want to intervene in one of Greenland’s most important industries, decisions should be based on knowledge—not on notions of what fishing used to be like.
A general ban on trawl fishing within the three-nautical-mile limit would have consequences far beyond the few vessels that fish there today. It would affect processing plants, investments, and jobs in the local communities where fishing is the economic backbone.
The question, therefore, is not whether nature should be protected. It certainly should be. The question is whether a total ban is the right solution.
If biological studies show that certain areas are vulnerable, they should be protected. If certain fishing gear causes problems, the rules should be changed. That is how responsible management should work. But a blanket ban is the most far-reaching regulation one can choose, and therefore it also requires the strongest evidence.
That evidence is missing from the public debate.
At the same time, a significant development is being overlooked. Modern trawl fishing is carried out with a precision that was unthinkable just a few decades ago. Fishing is concentrated in just a few suitable areas, and experience shows that it is, in practice, self-limiting because cod migrate after a period of intensive fishing.
That is why politicians should ask themselves one simple question before making a decision: Is a ban based on documented evidence—or on the assumption that trawl fishing is necessarily harmful?
Greenland faces major economic challenges. We will need more investment, more jobs, and more local value creation—not less. If an industry is to be restricted, it must be done on a sound professional basis.
Good fisheries management isn’t about choosing the strictest regulations. It’s about choosing the right ones.
