Denmark must develop even further as a producer of high-quality food
Jacob Jensen, the Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, represents Venstre (the Liberal Party of Denmark), a party with roots in defending the interests of the primary production sector, in the governing coalition.
Since 1995 the number of vessels in the Danish fishing fleet has fallen in both the categories commercial and non-commercial by 76% and 44% respectively, states a report[1] from the Fisheries Commission. The difference between the two groups relates to the value of landings: with a minimum landing value of DKK270,000 (EUR36,200) per year since 2012 a vessel falls into the commercial category, while a vessel with a landing value below that threshold falls into the non-commercial category. The two categories are further subdivided into vessels below 17 m, demersal vessels above 17 m, pelagic vessels above 17 m, and special fisheries that encompass vessels that target brown shrimp, mussels, and northern prawn in the waters around Greenland. The fleet thus exhibits a high degree of diversity compounded further by the variety of gears used, the quota distribution system governing the vessel, and whether fishing is close to the coast.
Attracting a new generation of fishers is crucial for the sector’s future
For Mr Jensen the priority is clear—to have a fishery that is competitive in relation to fleets in EU and non-EU countries, yet one that is also environmentally sustainable. The diversity of the fleet, with its large, medium, and small vessels, benefits coastal communities and fishing harbours around the country. Danish fisheries policy seeks to maintain this diversity and prevent the consolidation of the fleet into fewer hands, he says, as we are interested in the development of the industry. Since 2008 the number of vessels in the categories over 17 demersal, over 17 m pelagic, and the special fisheries, have been more or less stable, while vessels in the under 17 m group have continued to decline. Mr Jensen has no illusions—some vessels must exit the sector, while others need modernising. One target is to get more young people into the industry, a challenge facing many EU countries as youngsters are discouraged by the expense of starting out as a fisher, the bureaucracy at every level, and the demanding nature of the work. The Minister believes firmly that a younger generation will bring new ways of doing things and fresh insights to the industry especially if supported with new capital and will contribute to the revitalisation of the sector.
Bottom trawling forbidden on five Danish reefs
Danish coastal vessels have been fighting the deployment of beam trawls by vessels from other nations as they have a significant negative impact on the seabed, marine habitats, and fish stocks. Danish fishers no longer use this gear. For
Mr Jensen the Common Fisheries Policy means common rules across the EU; fishers from other countries must abide by the rules that bind Danish fishers when fishing in Danish waters. He has therefore proposed a ban on fishing with bottom trawls on five Danish reefs in the North Sea and Skagerrak, a measure aimed squarely at foreign fishing vessels. Forbidding the use of beam trawls will have positive impacts on the marine environment and contribute to a more sustainable fishery. This is critical when fish stocks are already under pressure from the impacts of climate change as it will increase the resilience of stocks. Mr Jensen agrees that the biological advice underlying decisions on quotas should be followed as far as possible but feels that it is justified when the numbers are adjusted for political reasons. At the same time, he sees one of the ways to move the fisheries in a more sustainable direction is by supporting the design and deployment of new and more selective fishing gear.
Many paths to greater sustainability
Electrification of the fleet is another possibility, but currently not all fleet segments lend themselves equally to being electrified, but for those that can switch from diesel that is the way forward, as diesel is both expensive and polluting. To encourage the shift to cleaner fuels the government has introduced a duty on diesel that will enter into force in 2025 and is aimed at helping the country reach its climate commitments. But the government also supports the development of ways to reach these targets. The duty is set to rise gradually to DKK750 (EUR100) per tonne of emitted carbon dioxide by 2030, although the Fisheries Commission recommends that it continues to rise after 2030 till it reaches a level that encourages the switch to green fuels with a view to achieving a climate-neutral fishing sector by 2050. Mr Jensen will not demand that the fishing industry mitigates its impact on the climate if the ways to achieve this simply do not exist. If suitable electric motors have not been developed, we cannot insist that fishing vessels start using batteries. Similarly, if battery-charging infrastructure has not been rolled out at harbours, we cannot expect vessels to electrify. The solutions for fishing vessels must be commercially, technically, and financially viable before they can be deployed and Mr Jensen is willing to offer the political and financial means to enable this. He uses the example of the coastal fishery which must accept certain conditions but which in return is supported by the ministry in the fishery’s efforts to promote its image as a supporter of small coastal communities and locally caught products. For the Minister fisheries have historical and cultural traditions which are worth preserving even if there are only a few areas where the fishery has any real economic value. He feels fisheries contribute to binding the different parts of the country together in a way that cannot be measured in kroner and ører, and which he also takes into consideration when discussing how fisheries should develop. He sees the role of the control instances as both to monitor and inspect but also to assist the industry understand and comply with the rules.
Aquaculture has a role to play in the nation’s food security
Aquaculture production in Denmark is based primarily on rainbow trout and mussels with minor volumes of other finfish species. The industry is subject to strict regulations regarding the release of nutrients into the environment which has contributed to the development of sophisticated technical solutions for farming fish in recirculation systems with low water consumption and minimal release of nutrients. Today these systems are exported the world over. Support for the further development of these technologies through research is a priority of the ministry where both economic and sustainability considerations are taken into account. He draws a connection between the war in Ukraine and the need to focus on food security not just in Denmark but in the wider region and sees aquaculture playing an important role in this regard. Denmark has not experienced famine in decades, but the war and other geopolitical developments have brought closer the threat of disrupted supply chains and of food shortages necessitating the emphasis on resilience. That said, however, the importance of food security cannot be seen in the aquaculture production statistics which have been stagnating for years in Denmark (and the EU). One of the reasons cited by the industry for this is the red tape that is tying the sector in knots. In response Mr Jensen points to an initiative taken by his ministry inviting suggestions to remove or simplify rules without compromising on environmental, animal welfare, or climate requirements. Support from the ministry has been used in Viet Nam to replace the use of antibiotics with vaccines for farmed fish, an example of cooperation that Mr Jensen is justifiably proud of as it shows Danish expertise both technical and administrative being used to sustainably improve food safety and quality.
In summary, Denmark’s continued role as a producer of food from fisheries and aquaculture is a priority for the Minister given the projected growth in global population as well as the threat from geopolitical events. Fishing, in addition, binds the different parts of the country closer together, something that cannot be measured in purely monetary terms, but that is a valuable attribute and one that is recognised across the political spectrum. Denmark has long been a producer of high-quality food and with the ministry’s support this ability will be nurtured and adapted to today’s demands for production that has little or no impact on the climate or the environment.
[1] Fiskerikommissionen, december 2023, ISBN: 978-87-88363-30-2