In the Faroe Islands the main produced species is Atlantic Salmon and Rainbow Trout.

Production in tonnes (2017): 86 830 tonnes (whole) and  71 172tonnes (gutted).
Production value 2017: 3.868 million DKK = 518 500 400 Euro

Export 2017:

In 2017 the average amount of employees in the fish farming industry calculated by the OECD method was 1170.
The Faroe Islands is a small island group located north of Scotland and about 600 km vest of Bergen city in Norway. The island populates close to 50 000 people and is an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark. They have the right to govern independently several areas of their politic. This include conservation and management of living marine resources within the 200-mile fisheries zone, protection of the marine environment, sub-surface resources, trade, fiscal and industrial relations, transport, communications, culture, education and research (Faroe, 2018).
Faroese fish products is a major economical factor, it represents 20% of the country’s total GDP and 95% of merchandise exports.

Figure 1: Main fisheries and farmed fish in percent of total tonnes 2001-2006

Government

The ministry of Trade and Industry is the government authority responsible for the public administration of fish farming in the Faroe Islands. Environmental impact is one of the key factors taken into consideration when deciding upon licenses to farm fish. Every fjord and bay in the country that is suited for fish farming is applied for farming. At the Faroe Islands only one company may farm fish in one fjord. This is done in order to reduce risk of contamination and to make sure that every company is responsible for their fjord. There is continuous evaluation of the environmental footprint of the farming.

Licenses for fish farming are only issued when minimum requirements have been met to prevent negative environmental impact, ensure responsible working conditions, and maintain the required high standards for animal welfare and hygiene. (Faroe,2018)

Companies

In the Faroes there are three major fish farming companies:

• Hiddenfjord 15% of the total production
• Marine Harvest 17% of the total production
• Bakkafrost 68% of the total production

The labour force in The Faroe Islands in 2017 age 15-74 years are 29,908
The unemployment rate is 2.4.

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Govern

The ministry of Research, Education and Culture has the administrative and financial responsibility for all the schools in The Faroe Islands. It oversees the process of setting the aims and objects for the schools. The ministry is responsible for the students to have correct learning material. They are also making sure that the teaching body is qualified, and that rules, regulations and exams are upheld. (FI,2018).

Organization

Figure 2: Model of the educational system in The Faroe Islands

In the Faroe Islands the education system is divided into three levels:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Higher education

The primary education (Folkaskulin) is compulsory and lasts from the age of 7 years until 16 years old. The country has a policy that every child should be able to start primary education without having to move away from home, though they might have to move to a bigger school when they join 8th grade. Today there is 54 schools that provide either primary or lower secondary education, and many offers both. This number includes three “free schools”, which charge a small tuition fee, but are primarily state funded. (FI, 2018)
In 2017/18 there were 7241 students in the primary education. (Statbank, 2018)

Secondary education

Figure 3:Example of an upper secondary education in The Faroe Islands.

Secondary education is voluntary. There are eight upper secondary schools in The Faroe Islands and one of them is former known as the fisheries college in Vestmanna (now Midnam Vestmanna). They formerly had a 3 year upper secondary education in aquaculture/fisheries with practical internship. This study unfortunately was closed down in 2012 due to a downfall of the fish farming industry and no industrial need for additional staff.

This has changed and the need for a vocational education in aquaculture is now present.

Figure 5: Model of the former fisheries/aquaculture study at Midnam Vestmanna.

Sources:

• Faroe,2018 : Faroe Islands fisheries and aquaculture, Ministry of fishery and natural resources.
• FI,2018: Faroeislands.fo, https://www.faroeislands.fo/people-society/education-research/education/
• Statbank,2018: https://statbank.hagstova.fo/pxweb/en/H2/H2__UV__UV02/fs_ntalsk.px/table/tableViewLayout1/?rxid=d44fee15-3e8c-4277-b3db-ca1d7a1c2c01