Sustainable fisheries management in the North Atlantic: Challenges and possibilities in a changing climate

Documents of the meeting

Background: Few nations in Western Europe are more dependent on marine resources than the Faroe Islands. Ensuring sustainable fisheries is not only a responsibility, it is an absolute necessity on which the entire Faroese economy relies. When it comes to shared fish stocks in the North Atlantic region, coastal states have a duty to work together to find common approaches and solutions. Building stronger and closer cooperation on these and other marine-related issues with international partners, including the EU, is a high priority for the Government of the Faroe Islands. On the national level, a process for major reform of Faroese fisheries management has recently been launched. Achieving the right balance between conservation and optimum utilisation for the common good in an ever-changing climate is a major challenge for all fisheries nations today. Against this background, the Minister will present his perspectives and visions for the future of sustainable fisheries.

Høgni Hoydal (b. 1966) is Minister of Fisheries and Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of the Faroe Islands. He is leader of the Faroese Republican Party, one of the three parties in the coalition Government formed after the last general election in the Faroes on 1 September 2015. Mr Hoydal was first elected to the Faroese Parliament in 1998 and has served as Minister in previous coalitions, with responsibility for judicial and independence issues, foreign relations, Nordic cooperation, culture and education. From 2001 and 2011 he was elected as one of the two Faroese members of the Danish Parliament and was re-elected in 2015. He was also a member of the Nordic Council from 2011 to 2015. Høgni Hoydal was educated in both the Faroe Islands and in Denmark, with a Master’s degree in History and Communications Science from the University of Roskilde, Denmark. From 1995 to 1998 he worked as a journalist at the National Faroese Television.

He is also the author of two books on Faroese political affairs and history.

Participation: is open to all, but pre-registration is required. Please register your
attendance with the Mission of the Faroes to the EU on brussels@tinganes.fo  at the latest
by Tuesday 23 February.