Break up Samherji – reclaim the resources

The quota system, which was originally put in place to protect fish stocks, has evolved into a monstrosity that has effectively privatized the public's fishing grounds. The system has broken down communities and accumulated wealth for a few, so much that it threatens democracy and public freedom. The Socialist Party of Iceland (Sósíalistaflokkurinn) has the policy of abolishing this system and building a more just framework for fishing and processing. A new framework needs to rebuild what the quota system destroyed and break up the wealth circles that the quota system created.Fourth Cod War aheadThe extension of the territorial waters and the control of the nation over marine resources was a prerequisite for the development of a strong society here. The Cod Wars that the nation fought in the last century were the nation's true struggle for independence. With victory in them, the country's independence was secured and the foundation for economic development was laid. Control over the fishing grounds was a prerequisite for building robust infrastructure and basic societal systems here and for aiming at general welfare and prosperity. Public conviction about the importance of these goals ensured the unity of the nation in the Cod Wars, and that unity ensured victory.The generations who fought the Cod Wars did not fight so that a few decades later the fishing grounds would be handed over to a few but closed to all other citizens. It was not the public's goal to drive large fishing companies of other nations from the grounds only for them to become the property of a few families and the profits flow primarily to selected magnates. The goal was for Icelanders to utilize the fishing grounds to build strong communities, robust societies, and vibrant human life here.We owe it to the generations who won the Cod Wars to correct these injustices. And we owe it to future generations to return their birthright to them, the resources that should be the common property of the people of the country and utilized for the benefit of society as a whole. Icelandic society is not sovereign when the fishing grounds are under the control of a select few.Socialists invite voters to begin the Fourth Cod War on election day, November 30, by casting their vote for the Socialist Party.Wealth circles broken upThe quota system has created a closed, unfree corruption system of large fishing companies that must be broken up. The largest fishing companies control too large a share of the catch and they control the entire value chain, from when the fish is caught until the product is sold abroad. There have been numerous indications that these systems are used to suppress fish prices at landing and then hide the profits from the resource abroad.The Socialist Party will propose that limits be placed on the scope of large fishing companies so that the largest companies are broken up longitudinally, meaning they must split into two or more companies. This is done to reduce the overwhelming power of the large fishing companies over the communities and to ensure diversity and new entrants.Socialists also propose that fishing and fish processing companies be broken up transversally, so that the same company cannot catch the fish and sell the catch to itself, process the fish and sell the products to itself, and then sell the products to itself abroad and hide the profit there.The quota system created immense wealth, especially when permission was given to mortgage fishing rights for future years. That wealth was used to consolidate most of the fishing rights under a few companies and then to acquire companies in unrelated sectors and in other countries. This oppressive power of wealth and authority has proven to be detrimental to society. Not just domestically, but widely around the world. It is therefore a natural self-defense for the public to break up these companies. Iceland is simply too small for companies of this size.If we take the example of Samherji, which is the largest and most powerful large fishing company, it would be split up longitudinally due to its size and transversally because it dominates the entire value chain. The arrogance and insolence of this company should surprise no one. When large companies are allowed to grow beyond society, they become a detriment, and they must be dealt with as such. It is long overdue for the nation to show Samherji who holds the power.The nation's property returnedThe Socialist Party proposes that it be enshrined in the constitution that the fishing resource is the property of the nation and that the nation itself decides how it is utilized. The Party proposes fishing assemblies in each region where fishermen, fish processing workers, and the general public sit down and formulate the long-term fishing policy. To avoid the dominance of fishing companies and other stakeholders, it is best that random selection be used to choose representatives for these assemblies, either entirely or for the most part.The fishing assemblies can request information and reports from experts, request studies on the effects of the quota system on different communities and social classes, evaluate the economic, ecological, and social impacts of different fishing management methods, and obtain all information deemed necessary.Nothing dictates that all fishing assemblies must reach the same conclusion, and each of them does not need to propose a single solution. The outcome can be a day-based system, catch limits, leasing of rights, or the development of cooperatives, free handline fishing, or whatever the assembly representatives believe will best utilize the power of the resources so they can build a thriving economy.Quota system closedSocialists invite voters to close the quota system immediately and adopt a day-based system for trawlers and boats until the fishing assemblies have formulated a future policy. It is important to immediately cut off the catch limit system and the corruption that thrives within it.The advantage of the day-based system over the catch limit system is that within it there is no discarding, undeclared landings, or weighing fraud. By setting an unalterable rule for all catch to go to market, it is possible to prevent wage theft, tax evasion, and port fee fraud which the sale of catch within the same company facilitates.The value of undersized fish that are landed goes to the state treasury. Allocated days for ships and boats will be non-transferable.It is important to cleanse fishing and processing of the corruption that the quota system has introduced.Fishing fees collected at the dockFishing fees will be collected upon landing, collected as simply as value-added tax. One could even consider the fishing fee to be the same as the current VAT, or 24%. That would yield about 35 billion Icelandic krónur annually in fishing fees based on last year's catch prices, but catch prices can be expected to rise when all fish goes to market. The fishing fees will flow equally to municipalities and the state.Handline fishing made freeHandline fishing will be made free for five fishing days a week, chosen by the fisherman, from March to October. The limit is three reels with one person on board, and four with two. These fishing activities must adhere to weather warnings from the Icelandic Met Office.Fishing rights auctioned offFishing rights in the Barents Sea, in the Smugan area, and elsewhere in the open ocean will be auctioned off. Equality must be ensured in the auction so that the few large companies cannot buy everything up and block new and smaller fishing operations. The buyer pays the price for the fishing rights after selling at the fish market. If the vessel fishing these rights is operating under the day-based system, any potential stop days may be used for these fishing activities if deemed necessary.Large fishing companies subject to investigationsIn light of the Samherji case, the five largest fishing companies will be investigated to ascertain whether bribery has been used, fish prices falsified, fishermen defrauded, taxes evaded, profits from operations and the resource hidden in foreign countries, or if the community has been otherwise wronged. If large-scale fraud is revealed during these investigations, an investigation will be launched into the next five largest fishing companies.Socialists' Proposal: Reclaim the resources from the wealth circlesThe twelfth proposal of the Socialist Party to voters regarding the parliamentary elections on November 30 is about the nation reclaiming the ocean's resources from the wealth circles that have seized them. Fishing assemblies will be established to formulate the long-term fishing policy, but the quota system will be immediately closed and steps taken towards a more just system.The goal is for the profits from the resources to flow to society and for a healthy industry to be built up, free from corruption, oppression, and the domination of a few over the many.