The Icelandic Association for the Promotion of the Fishing Trade
(Fiskifélag Islands) was established in 1911 with a view to encourag-
ing salt and fresh water fisheries. This association, in its various
activities for the benefit of the fishing industry, represents the govern-
ment and receives an annual State grant, which at present amounts to
75000 krénur. At the close of 1927 it had a membership of 1500
distributed among 45 local associations. In all matters coming within
the purview of the Association the highest authority is vested in the
Fishers’ Council, consisting of 12 members elected for a term of four
years and meeting annually in Reykjavik. Besides, ‘Fjérdungs things’,
or quarter meetings, one for each quarter of the country, are held
every second year by the representatives of the local associations. The
Fishers’ Council elect the president of the Association and two directors
for two years. It has an office in Reykjavik, publishes a monthly and
gives short courses in navigation and the handling and operating of
motors.
MARITIME JURISDICTION
The Maritime Jurisdiction of Iceland, so far as the fisheries are
concerned, is fixed by a treaty made between Denmark and Great
Britain on the 28th of March 1903 respecting the prosecution of fish-
ing outside the territorial waters round Iceland and The Faroe Islands.
According to § 2 of this treaty, Iceland’s territorial waters round the
whole coast of the island extend three nautical miles from the most
outlying islets and rocks visible at low water. In bays the three quarter-
miles’ limit is reckoned from a straight line drawn across the bay as
near its entrance as possible, at the first point where its width does not
exceed ten nautical miles.
The Maritime Jurisdiction is chiefly of importance for the fishing
and the fishermen’s operations in territorial waters. The main body of
laws respecting fishing in Icelandic territorial waters is comprised in
Act No. 33 of June 19th 1923, cp. also Act No. 4 of May 4th 1925 by
which various older provisions respecting this matter, are repealed; cp.
also Act No. 5 of May 18th 1920, prohibiting fishing by means of trawl.
Besides, there are to be found in various other acts provisions deal-
ing with the utilization of the territorial waters. Further, there have,
m accordance with the above-mentioned acts, been issued regulations
concerning certain coastal waters. At present the government has two
patrol boats to protect the territorial waters of the country.
