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After the 2nd World War the Size of the Faroese fishery territory was gradually extended. The need for investigations on all aspects of the fish populations and their dynamics, including their feeding habits and the distribution of the food animals was increasing. At the same time the fishery vessels were built larger and more powerful. They worked deeper, off the shelf edge down the upper slope, as well as out on the banks, all environments where the rest of the fauna was poorly known.
Seing the need for own year-round investigations the Faroese government in 1964 bought their first fishery research vessel, the trawler "Jens Christian Svabo". It was in use until 1981, when it was replaced by the larger "Magnus Heinason". Meanwhile, the Faroese Fishery Investigations had become an independent and scientifically well founded institution, Fiskirannsóknarstovan, which plays a considerable political role in a community economically dependant on the fisheries. When the large scale bottom invertebrate fauna investigation, later called "BIOFAR", was suggested, the scene was set nationally as well as internationally (Internordic), economically as well as politically (Tendal et al. 200x).
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