Work trip to the Faroe Islands and cooperation with Vørn

Vørn is a Faroese agency responsible for, among other things, fisheries inspection and rescue operations within the Faroese jurisdiction. Vørn thus performs a role that corresponds in part to the Icelandic Directorate of Fisheries, the Icelandic Coast Guard, and the Icelandic Meteorological Office. 

At the meetings, the parties discussed strengthening cooperation, particularly regarding the monitoring of fishing by Icelandic vessels in Faroese waters and fishing by Faroese vessels in Icelandic waters. Special emphasis was placed on pelagic fisheries. Good cooperation between the nations is extremely important, as Icelandic pelagic vessels conduct significant blue whiting fishing in the Faroese jurisdiction, and Faroese pelagic and longline vessels fish considerably off the coast of Iceland. 

Our hosts at Vørn gave the group a very warm welcome, and we had a great opportunity to learn about the community and industries of the Faroe Islands. We drove between villages that bear witness to both a powerful fishing industry and great natural beauty. At the Vørn offices, we were also treated to an introduction to Faroese food culture, where dried pilot whale and salted pilot whale blubber were among the items on offer.