Fishing Association Seeks Court Ban on Landowners' Activities in Stóru-Laxá River

A contentious dispute over fishing rights in Iceland's Stóru-Laxá river has escalated, with the Stóru-Laxá Fishing Association seeking a court injunction. The association is demanding that the District Commissioner of Southern Iceland impose a legal ban on what they term "illegal fishing" by the landowners of properties Iða 1 and Iða 2, located where the river meets Hvítá.

The association asserts that the river estuary rightfully belongs to them, and they have been allocating fishing rights to leaseholders for a decade, in accordance with the law. This claim is based on a ruling from a special arbitration committee in 2025, which the association considers definitive. The conflict stems from a contract termination in 2024 between the association and the landowners of Iða 1 and 2, leading to ongoing disputes over fishing activities in the estuary.

Despite repeated warnings that their fishing activities are unlawful, the landowners of Iða 1 and 2 have reportedly continued fishing unabated. The Stóru-Laxá Association feels compelled to seek a legal prohibition on all fishing by these landowners, as well as on the sale of fishing permits, to prevent others from fishing in the disputed area.

The association views this case as having substantial precedent-setting value for the organization of salmon and trout fishing throughout Iceland, which relies on mandatory membership in fishing associations. They argue that allowing the landowners to continue their activities would disregard the property rights of fishing rights holders and undermine the purpose of mandatory fishing associations. The resulting legal uncertainty, they warn, could cause significant financial damage to rights holders, landowners, farmers, and fishing associations alike.