More young people want to try their hand as fishermen, and especially those who belong to the northern part of the country. The statistics for the number of participants have increased considerably since 2020, from 256 in 2020 to 651 in 2023 (as of 7.7), figures from the Directorate of Fisheries show. Kajsa Holmgren Grønnberg has been several times fishing for king crab outside Båtsfjord. But now she will get to try herself as a fisherman through the youth fishing scheme. Photo: private One of those who will try her hand at fishing this summer is 17-year-old Kajsa Holmgren Grønnberg from Båtsfjord. She has signed up for the scheme together with her sister. – We heard from some friends that there was good money to be made from it. In addition, we are interested in going out to sea to fish for crab, she says. She and the others registered in Båtsfjord have recently been on a safety course that the participants must go through before they can go out fishing. Now she is looking forward to going out. – We have the opportunity to earn between 20 and 30,000. That’s quite a lot. It’s almost a whole month’s salary, she says. As part of increasing recruitment into the fishing profession, the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries invites young people to sign up for the scheme every summer. Photo: Gyda K. Hesla Sees opportunities in the fishing industry Troms and Finnmark have managed the most participants. There are now 400 registered. – The main reason why Troms and Finnmark are stronger is probably rooted in the fisheries that take place in the summer, where king crab is a strong draw in Finnmark, says information manager Jan-Erik Indrestrand at the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association. Indrestrand hopes that the young people have signed up primarily out of curiosity for the fishing profession. – At the same time, it doesn’t hurt that you can make quick money, he says. He nevertheless emphasizes that there are no guarantees in the fisheries, and that some young people can come home empty-handed from a fishing trip. – Some days it is black sea, other days it is as far as the boat can carry. There is something fascinating about the fishing profession that I hope many young people will get an insight into. It’s not just about going to sea and opening your wallet. A job has to be done, and you never know what you will get, says Indrestrand, who hopes that the scheme will help to ensure recruitment into the industry. – You get to see what is required to earn that money, says Kajsa in Båtsfjord. The youth fishing scheme applies to young people between the ages of 12 and 25 and is administered by the Directorate of Fisheries. A satisfied Regine Grøtte Enge shows off one of the king crabs she caught under the scheme in 2021. Photo: Carolyn Hannigan / news Youth fishing The youth fishing scheme basically applies in the period from and including 12 June to and including 18 August, and every registered youth fisherman can sell his catch for up to NOK 50,000. Catching king crab under the youth fishing scheme applies to young people who turn 16 no later than 2023 and who live in Finnmark. Youth fishing can be done with rod, handline, fishing machine, net with a total length of up to 210 metres, lines with up to 300 angles and up to 20 rods or lures. It is still possible to register as a youth fisherman (Source: Norwegian Fishermen’s Association) More girls According to the figures recorded by the Directorate of Fisheries, there is also an increase in the number of girls among those registered. In Båtsfjord, it turns out that more than half are girls. – Gender has no bearing on whether you can do a good job at sea. Moreover, it is so well organized in many parts of the industry that there is no need for the muscles that have previously defined whether a man or a woman should work at sea, he says. Kajsa Holmgren Grønnberg hopes above all for good weather when they go out to sea, but also that it will be educational. She is unsure whether she will become a fisherman in the future. – I have worked in the fishing industry after school for two years now, and am not sure if I want to do it for the rest of my life, she says. Photo: Carolyn Hannigan / news
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– Opportunity to earn between 20 and 30,000 – news Troms and Finnmark
