Commercial fishing permits

There are two types of general fishing permits

• Catch quota fishing permit, where there are no restrictions on vessel size or legal fishing gear.

• Hook-and-line catch quota permits, which are restricted to:

  • boats that are shorter than 15 meters and less than 30 gross tonnes.

  • only fishing with longlines and handlines.

  • that it is prohibited to transfer catch quotas from the hook-and-line catch quota system to the catch quota system, except in an equal exchange.

Conditions for commercial fishing permit

• Applicant needs to be operator of a vessel

• Commercial fishing permits may only be granted to fishing vessels holding certificates of seaworthiness and registered in the Registry of Vessels of the Icelandic Transport Authority or the special registry for boats less than six meters long.

• Operator of vessel does not have financial debt towards the Directorate of Fisheries.

• Icelandic owner ship on vessel
  

Validity and revocation of commercial fishing permits

The permit is valid from its issue date as long as fishing vessel lands a catch within twelve months.

The permit is revoked:

• if the ship has not landed catch for twelve months consecutively

• if vessel is no longer registered at the Registry of Vessels of the Icelandic Transport Authority

• if a ship is taken off the register of the Icelandic Transport Authority

• if owners or operators of a vessel do not qualify to fish in the Icelandic exclusive fishing zone that is stipulated in Icelandic laws regarding investment of foreign parties in business operations and laws about fishing and processing for foreign vessels in Icelandic exclusive economy zone.  
  

Payment for permits is during the application process. The permit costs 22.000 ISK