The salary of Icelandic fisherman has decreased up to 25% in the last two years and is now similar to what it was in 1999 when compared year over year based on one specific trawler. Árni Bjarnason, the president of the professional association of the merchant and fishing mariners, told Morgunbladid yesterday that this means that it has become more difficult to find employees for the boats. The reason for the reduction in salaries is the high exchange rate of the Icelandic króna.
Árni told Morgunbladid that he is very worried about these developments and says that on the whole the situation now is worse than ever before. “Onshore there is talk of increased purchasing power and salary increases, but with fishermen it is just the opposite. Demand for workers on land means that we are not getting the men we need on the ships,” said Árni.
