In West Greenland was the total cod quota for the coastal fishery in 2026 of just over 23,000 tonnes. Of this, 1,800 tonnes are allocated to recreational fishermen.
This year there have been many cod, and the purchase price per kilo has been significantly higher than in previous years. This is one of the reasons why the coastal cod fishing this summer has been very extensive, according to several fishermen’s and fishermen’s associations along the coast to Sermitsiaq.
In West Greenland was the total cod quota for the coastal fishery in 2026 of just over 23,000 tonnes. Of this, 1,800 tonnes are allocated to recreational fishermen.
This year there have been many cod, and the purchase price per kilo has been significantly higher than in previous years. This is one of the reasons why the coastal cod fishing this summer has been very extensive, according to several fishermen’s and fishermen’s associations along the coast to Sermitsiaq.
Both KNAPK and several fishermen’s and fishermen’s associations state that the theft of cod from bottom nets by recreational fishermen is an extensive problem along the entire coast.
However, TPAK rejects this.
The problem has grown
The large quantities of cod have led more people to fish for the species, and at the same time fishing with bottom nets has become more widespread in recent years, KNAPK informs.
The organisation’s deputy chairman, Jens Peter Kielsen from Qaqortoq, says that vandalism against bottom nets and theft of cod also occurs along the entire coast.
– Recreational fishermen fishing inside bottom nets and stealing cod is very common, and it is a problem along the entire coast.
– When fishing inside the bottom nets, the nets are damaged, which results in a loss of catch, he says.
Depending on the size, a bottom yarn costs between DKK 50,000 and DKK 90,000. A demersal net of seven fathoms can hold up to 30 tons of cod.
– Bottom yarns are very expensive. If they are damaged, the catch will escape. When this happens, the nets must be taken ashore and repaired, and this results in large financial losses for the fisherman.
– KNAPK regularly receives complaints about the problem, but because bottom net fishing often takes place in remote areas, it is difficult to obtain evidence, says Jens Peter Kielsen.
Many bottom seiners also use storage facilities for live cod. Fish caught in bottom nets are moved to these facilities, and illegal fishing around them is also a problem, according to KNAPK.
Also a problem in Nuuk
Sermitsiaq has spoken to several fishing and catching associations along the coast about theft from bottom nets.
According to the chairman of the fishermen’s and trappers’ association Neqita in Nuuk, Karl Kristian Kruse, bottom net fishing is very widespread in the area around Nuuk. He has investigated the matter among the association’s members.
Karl Kristian Kruse states that the members predominantly suspect that it is recreational fishermen who are behind the thefts from the bottom nets.
The allegations are not correct
In some places, recreational fishermen are allowed to purchase cod. But recreational fishermen never steal from commercial fishermen’s bottom nets, says the deputy chairman of Tapertaralugu Piniartartut Aalisartartullu Kattuffiat (TPAK), Peter Davidsen.
He is also chairman of Nuummi Tapertaralugu Piniartut Aalisartartullu Peqatigiiffiat (NTPAP).
– Unfortunately, it is nothing new that recreational fishermen are suspected of stealing from bottom nets, but we cannot recognize the accusations at all.
– Before such accusations are directed at us, the commercial fishermen could appropriately look at themselves. I know that they also have internal problems, and we even know that there are people who put stones in the nets, he says.
NTPAP has about 100 members. Most have learned fishing and catching through generations, and therefore respect other people’s fishing gear, emphasizes Peter Davidsen.
The Greenland Police state that no cases of this nature have been established in recent years.
