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25. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1979; Vestkysten 10/11 1979.
26. FOS, Materiale vedr. krogfiskeri, autoline, miniline,
Allan Hjorth Rasmussens samling.
27. FOS, Dansk Havfiskeriforenings Arkiv, Forsøgsfiskeri.
28. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1980, nr. 16.
29. FOS, Dansk Havfiskeriforenings Arkiv, Forsøgsfiskeri.
30. FOS, Dansk Havfiskeriforenings Arkiv, Forsøgsfiskeri.
31. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1982, nr. 43.
32. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1981, nr. 38; se desuden Holger
Hovgård Hansen, “Linefiskeri” 1981.
33. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1983, nr. 48.
34. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1986, nr. 10.
35. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1987, nr. 24.
36. Dansk Fiskeritidende 1988, nr. 16.
37. Tallene omfatter kun fartøjer der har haft en samlet
indtægt over kr. 160.000. Oplysninger fra Danmarks
Fiskeriundersøgelser.
38. Bl.a. Fiskeri Tidende 1998, uge 43; Fiskeri Tidende
1999, uge 39; Fiskeri Tidende 1999, uge 48.
39. Havfiskeren 1993, nr. 40.
40. Se bl.a. Fiskeri Tidende 1998, uge 39; Fiskeri Tidende
1999, uge 10.
Summary
Danish line fisheries have been operating in the same man-
ner for centuries. However, operations in the past three de-
cades have changed decisively. The line fisheries have been
rationalised, mechanised and automated. This did not happen
overnight, but resulted from a prolonged process of change.
This article deals with the change from traditional to modern
line fishing, and at the same time tries to explain the increa-
sed attention to this type of fishing in recent years.
A first attempt to mechanise the line fisheries was made
in the mid-1970s. Inspired by developments in the Norwe-
gian and Faeroese fisheries, Danish fishermen adopted the
mechanised pole-line. By the end of the 1970s about 30 of
these devices were in use in Danish fisheries. The following
decade saw a number of technological improvements,
making it still more appealing to initiate this type of fishe-
ry. Thus around 1990 the number of mechanised polelines
in Danish fisheries had increased to around 70. Mechanised
polelines then spread rapidly, and mechanised polelines
were adopted in a number of conventional fisheries to sup-
plement ordinary methods of fishing.
Following the introduction of the mechanised poleline, a
number of fishermen started to take an interest in automa-
ting the long line fisheries. Again, this development was
inspired by the Norwegian fisheries. Automated long line
systems were first used in Denmark in 1980. In the first
instance the state provided financial support to three fisher-
men who were to try out the new equipment. Before this, an
extensive field study was made in the Norwegian fisheries.
This was done in order to gain the best possible starting
point. Thus armed with valuable knowhow, the Danish
trials commenced. However, the initial optimism was
quickly replaced by pessimism when the results were nega-
tive. Technologically there were still a number of things
needing to be worked on. Another and more serious pro-
blem was the fact that it was hard to maintain a stable
and experienced crew because of the lack of income. This
meant that the required know-how was lost. The trial fishe-
ries consequently failed, and the future of the automated
longline fisheries suddenly seemed uncertain.
Interest in longline fishing declined in following years.
The trials were stopped, and the former dynamics in the
field faded. However, with a number of technological im-
provements, a renewed interest appeared around 1990. In
the following decade the number of fishing vessels in the
line fisheries was tripled. This general breakthrough resulted
from a number of causes. Firstly, the fisheries’ general fra-
mework changed fundamentally through the 1990s. The fish
quotas for cod and haddock were heavily reduced, and at the
same time, the concept of sustainable fishing appeared. The
altered structures of the fisheries required new trial fisheries
within line fishing. Unlike the earlier attempts, these turned
out to be very successful. Thus by the end of 1999, over
eight different fishing vessels were involved in the project.
Line fisheries now seem to be attracting interest as a possi-
ble new way of developing Danish fisheries, but whether
this line is the one to follow for the future is uncertain.
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