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Oceans and fisheries

Greenland

Sustainable fisheries partnership agreement with Greenland

The new protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement concluded between the EU and Greenland and Denmark covers the period 22.4.2021 – 21.04.2025. It can be extended for another two years if the parties agree.

Main features of the SFPA

Duration of the agreement

6 years renewable (22.4.2021 – 21.4.2027)

Duration of the protocol

4 years (22.4.2021 – 21.4.2025)

Initialled

8.1.2021

Nature of the SFPA

This is a mixed agreement but the allocation of quotas to the Member States is subjected to the TAC and quota regulation provisions.

Financial contribution

The financial compensation consists of three parts:

  • The access component for which the EU will pay €13,590,754 annually
  • The sectoral support component for which the EU will pay €2,931,000 annually
  • The licence fee component for which European vessel owners will pay around €3.12 million annually for the first two years, €4.64 million annually for the next two years and €6.16 million annually for the last two years (estimations).
Fishing opportunities as set out in the protocol (2021-2024/6)
(tonnes)
Stock Fishing opportunities
Cod 1,950
Pelagic Redfish 0
Demersal Redfish 1,840
Greenland Halibut - West 2,250
Greenland Halibut - East 4,950
Northern Prawn - West 2,600
Northern Prawn - East 4,850
Capelin 13,000
Grenadier spp. - West 100
Grenadier spp. - East 100
Bycatch 600
Mackerel 0
Total 32,240

 

Reference prices as set out in the protocol (2021-2024/6)
(EUR per tonne)
Stock Live weight price in EUR per tonne
Cod 2,023
Pelagic Redfish 1,890
Demersal Redfish 1,890
Greenland Halibut - West 4,640
Greenland Halibut - East 4,640
Northern Prawn - West 4,080
Northern Prawn - East 4,080
Capelin 364
Grenadier spp. - West 1,735
Grenadier spp. - East 1,735
Bycatch 2,260
Mackerel PM

 

License fees paid by the ship-owners
Stock EUR per tonne (2021-2022) EUR per tonne (2023-2024) EUR per tonne (2025-2026)
Cod 160 200 241
Pelagic Redfish 93 131 169
Demersal Redfish 93 131 169
Greenland halibut 216 309 402
Northern Prawn - East 100 181 263
Northern Prawn - West 159 240 322
Capelin 14 22 29

History

The first fisheries agreement concluded between the EU and Greenland which dates back to 1985 was concluded for an initial period of ten years and thereafter extended for additional six-year periods until it was replaced by the fisheries partnership agreements. The first fisheries agreement was implemented by successive protocols.

Documents

Current legal framework

The Agreement and its implementing Protocol were signed and entered in provisional application on 26.03.2021 as authorised by Council Decision (EU) 2021/793 of 26 March 2021. OJ L175 of 18.5.2021.

Council Decision (EU) 2021/2043 of 18 November 2021 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, of the other part, and the implementing Protocol thereto.