Greenland Knot: from Cooperation to Disagreement in Fisheries

INTRODUCTION. Historically, fishing was considered as a key economic sector in the largest island in the world, Greenland. Due to the climate change and global warming of the World Ocean, particularly in the northwestern Arctic, the interest in the industrial exploitation of marine living resources in Greenland's exclusive economic zone has increased significantly. Today, Greenlandic waters are frequented not only by European and Russian fishing vessels, but also by vessels from China. Therefore, at this stage and in the future the governance of Greenland's fishing industry and international cooperation between the island and other countries are of particular research interest.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study is based on normative and scientific analytical materials that reveal Greenland's bilateral treaty practices with states engaged in fishing in the maritime areas adjacent to the island. The article examines the history of the development of international legal norms, as well as Greenland's domestic legislation on fisheries. In conducting the study, the authors used historical, comparative legal, logical, comparative analysis, analogy, description, generalization, and several other general scientific and specialized legal methods.
RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH. The authors highlight the main reasons for Greenland's attractiveness to the world's leading fishing powers recognized the island's strategic value for the development of their economies. In the analysis it has been revealed that Greenland adheres to a policy of containing Russia, in line with the EU and the US policy, including in the Arctic region. This has become evident in current bilateral fisheries relations. However, unlike Greenland, the Faroe Islands, as a part of Denmark, pursue a more pragmatic fisheries policy vis-à-vis Russia, extending the fisheries agreement and allocating quotas for Russian vessels in their exclusive economic zone on a reciprocal basis. This rational approach, primarily based on economic interests and historical relationships, allows the Faroe Islands to maintain stable relations with Russia despite the European trend toward Russia’s containment.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. The current geopolitical shifts have impacted the fishing industry. It is expected that the deliberately drawing Greenland into a standoff with Russia will negatively impact international cooperation in the marine living resources exploitation and fisheries in the northwestern Arctic and adjacent seas, as well as the overall military and political situation in the Arctic region.

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