IFIM

Icelandic Fishing Industry Magazine

1 s t e d i to n

April 2012

w w w. ifim . i s

Contents

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» The most important business in Iceland is fish The fisheries sector has been regarded as one of the cornerstones of the Icelandic economic sector.

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» Matis – in an international context Iceland’s contribution to Europe’s communal research funds is considerable and through scientific collaboration with other countries, we can get that contribution back with excellent interest returns if done well.

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Iceland is the biggest producer of Arctic Charr in the world, with a total export of over 3.000 tons annually. Production is increasing and will reach close to 4.000 tonnes this year.

» Well managed Fisheries in Icelandic waters

In recent years, the demand for sustainable use of renewable resources, including fish stocks, has increased greatly throughout the world.

Icelanders are meeting this demand.

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From the beginning, Matis has emphasized international research and development work has expanded with foreign collaborations which are now a large part of the company’s operations.

» Iceland leads the farming of Arctic Charr

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» International collaborationis important

» 92% of Lysi´s products are exported The Icelandic marine lipid company Lysi is enlarging its processing plant and reinforcing its processing equipment in order to keep up with growing demand from foreign markets.

THE FOUNDATION OF A 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY A Message from the President of Iceland Ă“lafur Ragnar Grimsson In recent decades, Iceland has succeeded in establishing a prosperous economy providing education, health care and general welfare for our people. Despite the setback of the financial crisis, the country is now on its way to recovery, earlier and more effectively than anyone expected.

This success is primarily thanks to the evolution of the fishing sector, from coastal fisheries to the advanced high-tech fishing industry of modern times, inspired by fundamental respect for the sustainability of the ocean resources and crowned by an impressive record of profitability. The strength of our fishing and fish-processing companies over the last three years has been a major pillar of our recovery, proving that sustainable and well-managed fisheries can lead the way out of a financial crisis.

The Icelandic seafood industry has also been a fertile ground for the development of many high-tech and IT products, enabling start-up companies to test and develop their innovations and consequently grow into glxobal players. This nexus has expanded the significance of the fish-ing sector for our 21st century technological potential and also provides instruments for the implementation of responsible management policies.

All of this has enabled Iceland to play a significant role in international cooperation on the oceans and forge strong bonds with countries all over the world. The respect which our nation enjoys in this field was evident at the World Oceans Summit, organized in Singapore earlier this year by the respected media leader The Economist.

There, I was privileged to witness the profound relevance of Iceland’s contribution.

Participation by Icelandic companies and institutions in the European Seafood Exposition and Seafood Processing Europe in Brussels provides further evidence of our intention to partner effectively with others and I look forward to joining in your discussions and deliberations.

I cela n d ic F i s h i n g Industry Magazine

www.ifim.is Contact information: +00354 445-9000 or info@ifim.is

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An efficient transport system across the North-Atlantic

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ervicing the seafood industry has played an important role in the development of Eimskip‘s transportation services. The company transports annually around one and a half million tons of cargoes over the North-Atlantic in its liner services. In addition to that, Eimskip moves about one million tons of frozen cargoes worldwide outside of its own production system. Eimskip has offices in 17 countries and operates 18 vessels, mainly in the North–Atlantic area.

Bragi Þór Marinósson, Executive Vice President of Eimskip‘s International Operations says: “Our company‘s strategy is to offer our customers total transportation services within the NorthAtlantic area, and a worldwide reefer logistics. When Eimskip‘s customers started to develop their operation outside the NorthAtlantic area we decided to develop a global network and services to be able to serve them. That allowed us to welcome new customers all around the world that benefit from the expertise of Eimskip in transporting frozen and chilled goods.”

Eimskip Office Eimskip Coldstore

» An improved service across the North-Atlantic Eimskip’s home market is defined from the northern and western part of Norway to the east coast of the US and Canada.

In order to strengthen Eimskip’s service in the North-Atlantic it was decided to add one container vessel in the North America liner service. Now Eimskip can offer a direct transport from Sortland in Norway to the east coast of America and Canada. Eimskip is the only company that offers a liner service with container vessel to and from North Norway, via the North-Atlantic. Marinósson says: „This service opens up many new opportunities for our customers.“ Eimskip sails to Argentina and St. Anthony in Newfoundland, Halifax in Nova Scotia, Everett in the Boston region and Norfolk. „Eimskip also operates a transportation service in the Faroe Islands as Faroe Ship, which is a leading transportation company in the islands. In Norway we operate the subsidiary Eimskip CTG which has its office and coldstore facilities in various locations in Norway. It operates eight reefer vessels, three of which are on weekly liner service to and from Murmansk in Russia, up and Kirkenes Hammersfest

Eimskip Warehouse

Tromsø

Partner Coldstore

Murmansk

Sortland

Eimskip Agent

Isafjordur

Southern Route Northern Route

Grundartangi Reykjavik

Eastern Route

Mosjøen

Reydarfjordur

Vestmannaeyjar

Fuglafjordur Klaksvik Torshavn

la

nd

Nuuk

Akureyri

Ca

tic

rc

A/

lA

Aberdeen

Ro

ya

US

Feeder Connection

Stavanger

na

Lin

Norway Route I

da

e/

Gre

en

America Route

Partner Routes Freight Forwarding

Grimsby Immingham

Kristiansund Aalesund Maaloy Bergen Fredrikstad Egersund

Aarhus Copenhagen

Helsinki

St. Petersburg

Riga

Moscow

Klaipeda

Szczecin

Velsen

Hamburg

Gatwick

St. Anthony

Helsingborg

Aalborg

Rotterdam

Antwerp

rt

Po

Argentia

ug

al/

Sp

ain

St. John’s Harbour Grace

Genoa

Halifax Boston / Everett

Vigo

New York

Porto

Istanbul

Lisbon

Norfolk

Izmir

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Mersin

down the Norwegian coast and Velsen in Holland, Grimsby and Aberdeen in the UK,“ says Marinósson Eimskip also offers extensive services in Iceland and Newfoundland in Canada where the seafood industry is large and heavy industries are constantly growing. Eimskip’s liner system in the North-Atlantic connects these markets together. » Worldwide reefer logistics services Acording to Marinósson, Eimskip transported around one million tons of frozen goods outside of their own production system last year. The company co-operates with all of the largest shipping companies in the world and has been able to build up an extensive service network. „This service has been growing rapidly at Eimskip. We opened a new office in Thailand in March this year to be able to extend our global service network. Eimskip now has over two hundred employees in Asia.“ » Renewing the vessel fleet Last year Eimskip made an agreement concerning the building of two new container vessels, and expected delivery is in early and mid 2013. The vessels are being built in China, using a German design and German consultants are in charge of their building.

Each vessel is 875 container units and has 230 reefer plugs. „The new vessels will strengthen the production system in the NorthAtlantic area and increase efficiency and the service level for our customers. It will also increase our production capacity on our Southern-route,“ says Marinósson.

Eimskip also recently bought three reefer vessels that the company had been chartering since 2005. The vessels were built in Arhus, Denmark, and are well equipped for the transport of frozen seafood across the North-Atlantic. They are reefer vessels which are side-loaded, which speeds up the loading/discharging process in harbours and ensures better handling of the cargo.

They have cranes and three loading decks, lifts and fork-lifts. The vessels have mostly been used for transporting from Norway to the Baltic Sea and Russia. They have also been used for shipping frozen goods from Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Newfoundland in the North-Atlantic.

Finally Marinósson says: „With these investments Eimskip is strengthening and increasing the reliability of its production system in the North-Atlantic and keeping the needs of its customers in mind.“ n

Kirkenes Hammersfest Tromsø Murmansk Sortland Isafjordur Grundartangi Reykjavik

Mosjøen

Vestmannaeyjar

Fuglafjordur Klaksvik Torshavn

da

A/

Ca

t ic rc lA

US

Aberdeen

Ro

ya

Stavanger

na

Li

ne

/G

re

en

la

nd

Nuuk

Akureyri Reydarfjordur

Grimsby Immingham

Kristiansund Aalesund Maaloy Bergen Fredrikstad Egersund

Aarhus Copenhagen

St. Petersburg

Riga Moscow

Klaipeda Szczecin

Velsen Hamburg

Gatwick

St. Anthony

Helsingborg

Aalborg

Helsinki

Rotterdam Antwerp

rt Po

Argentia

ug

al

/S

pa

in

St. John’s Harbour Grace

Genoa

Halifax Boston / Everett New York Norfolk

Vigo Istanbul

Porto Lisbon

Izmir

The North-Atlantic Just Got Busier

Mersin

Eimskip Office

America Route

Southern Route

Eimskip Coldstore

Norway Route

Northern Route

Eimskip Warehouse

Feeder Connection

Eastern Route

Partner Coldstore

Partner Routes

Freight Forwarding

Eimskip Agent

Improved service with increased capacity and frequency Eimskip has strengthened its liner operations in the North-Atlantic with an addition to its fleet.

The North-American market will now be served by two vessels instead of one, bringing increased frequency to Eimskip’s customers.

FÍTON / SÍA

Twice the capacity, same reliability.

Eimskip | Korngörðum 2 | 104 Reykjavík | Tel +354 525 7000 | www.eimskip.com

Increased demands for international quality certificates for industrial companies

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he packaging manufacturer Borgarplast Ltd. started as a Polystyrene (EPS) factory in the Icelandic town Borgarnes in 1971. In 1983 Borgarplast opened a rotation moulding division in Kópavogur (a neighbouring town to Reykjavík) and started producing products for the food and construction industry. Late in 2008, in the middle of the economic collapse of Iceland, the two factories were united on the same grounds in Mosfellsbær, a town on the outskirts of Reykjavík after having being run for 25 years apart. The staff consists of 20-30 people, depending on projects. » Polyethylene and Polystyrene products Borgarplast produces products from Polystyrene (EPS), which is used for Polystyrene Boxes, and building insulation and Polyethylene (PE) which is used in the production of Plastic Bulk Containers, oil separators, fat separators, water tanks etc. All materials used are approved to be used in the food and pharmacy industry in Europe, USA, etc.

Gudni Thordarson, the CEO of Borgarplast says: „80% of our production is used in the food industry. Our Polystyrene Boxes are used for air transport of fish fillets to Europe and North America. Our Plastic Bulk Containers are used in the food industry in many countries, although in Iceland they are nearly only used for the seafood industry on land and sea. We have been producing Plastic Bulk Containers since 1984 and the Polystyrene Boxes since 1999. We started exporting the Plastic Bulk Containers in 1986 and now we export to around 20-30 different countries worldwide, mostly within Europe and Africa“ » Quality and environmental standards matter Quality and environmental management are very important for the food industry. Borgarplast is very focused on quality and every year 6-8% of the company’s turnover goes to quality, environmental and product development.

Borgarplast‘s quality system was certificated to the IST EN ISO

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9001 in 1993 and was the first Icelandic industrial manufacturing company to achieve this recognition. Borgarplast has also been using the certificated environmental management system IST EN ISO 14001 since 1999. It also produces six CE certified products for the construction industry. Borgarplast is the only Icelandic producer of Fish Containers that holds these certifications.

Gudni says: „We were the first industrial manufacturing company in Iceland that was awarded both the IST EN ISO 9001 quality management certificate and IST EN 14001 environmental management certificate. When we were awarded the IST EN 14001 certificate in 1993 we were one of only 3000 companies worldwide that had received that recognition. We have been very focused on keeping these matters in order and have won various awards for our contribution to quality and environmental issues.” » Customers around the world In addition to providing the local Icelandic market, Borgarplast is very focused on exporting their production to the global market.

The company exports to 20-30 countries worldwide every year. The export is mostly insulated Plastic Bulk Containers and specially designed Plastic Pallets for use in the food and medical industry.

Gudni says: „The market share of Borgarplast in the Bulk Container (often called Fish Tub) industry is very strong in Iceland, or over 80%. The company also sells products for use in the construction industry in Iceland and the neighbouring countries, such as Faroe Islands and Greenland. We have also produced specially designed Plastic Bulk Containers for the meat industry in Europe and have recently started marketing them in that field which is unlike our current markets. We will however keep on producing high quality insulated Plastic Bulk Containers for the fishing industry, fish farming, fish processing and various other food productions.“ n

www.matis.is

Research for the fishing industry Matís is in many ways an important resource for Icelanders. The company is a key player in food research and food safety, and has over 100 knowledgeable employees who are experts in many different fields.

Research is important for the fisheries sector as it support the development, innovation and marketing of the industry.

At Matís, a number of research projects, related in various ways to the fisheries industry, are ongoing year round. This way, Matís is always searching for new knowledge to know more today than we did yesterday.

Matis – in an international context

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n the annual report of Matis’ fifth year of operations, we offer insight into how Matis has acquired, despite its recent beginnings, both good connections and a strong reputation abroad.

Matis has systematically increased its emphasis on international projects, whilst strengthening the company’s operations in Iceland – not to mention scientific work in the country in general. As a result, Iceland reaps the benefits of an increased number of various business opportunities.

Iceland’s contribution to Europe’s communal research funds is considerable and through scientific collaboration with other countries, we can, in a way, get that contribution back with excellent interest returns if done well. The basis for doing so is a strong core of scientists which is indeed representative of Matis.

As our track record in international collaborative projects grows, so does interest from foreign parties.

We have much to offer and can strengthen Iceland’s position through the knowledge acquired from this co-operation. Through our international projects, we gain access to facilities otherwise unavailable and establish connections with specialists in various expert fields.

By increasing international scientific collaboration, we can

say we are turning an important page in Icelandic history. Throughout the centuries Icelanders have exported goods, notably seafood. In this respect, we are talking about both exporting raw materials, as well as the finished product. Through our scientific work, we are moving away from exporting raw material and towards the utilization of Icelandic knowledge in our traditional core industry; that of food production. The “raw material” of knowledge is transformed into an even more valuable product to further our work abroad, as well as in Iceland, and also the development of food production. This benefits not only Matis, but other Icelandic researchers, institutions, universities, and companies.

Matis’ development and initiatives make it possible for us to advance into foreign countries. We have specialized knowledge in many areas of the fishing industry and are in a unique position here in Iceland for biotechnical research due to the geothermal areas, the glaciers, and the nature both on land and sea.

Many business sectors can benefit from the international collaboration Matis has initiated, although the opportunities are perhaps most clear in the seafood, where Iceland has the opportunity to create an even stronger position for our seafood to com-

Genetics used in research into North Atlantic salmon Matís, universities and institutions in charge of fisAn interesting investigation into salmon has recently heries regulation. “With the processing of these samclosed after having been active since 2009. The projples we created a very large databank which gives a ect was overseen by SALSEA-Merge and Matís was picture of salmon stocks and comparisons between among the research associates. Some are interested them. To get a clear picture of this comparison we in beginning a new project in the areas of Greenland decided on fifteen microsatellites that everyone and North America based on the same ideology and analyzed in the same way. With this number of samexperience. This investigation will utilize an improples and the databank created by the processing of ved understanding of salmon stock both in rivers these samples we can now potentially take salmon and oceans. from the sea and analyze where it originates. This has “The point of the project was to genotype salbeen tested already and that gives us an idea of how mon across the area, from northern Spain in the the salmon behaves when it migrates to the ocean. south to Iceland and Russia in the north. Overall We certainly don’t have instruments that provide ans26.813 samples from 284 rivers were recorded and Copyright iStockphoto/Matis ltd. wers to all our questions but it gives us a clearer pictanalyzed in this area. With these we were able ure than we had before,” says Kristinn. to map the salmon stocks in the rivers, analyze As it is not permitted to fish salmon in the ocean different genetic patterns and use them to gain a near Iceland samples have been taken from salmon picture of the genetic differences between the salthat has been caught as a side-catch during mackemon stocks in the area,” says Kristinn Ólafsson, a rel fisheries. Kristinn says that in this way the big specialist in genetics and biotechnology at Matís, research project is useful to get a clearer picture of who was tasked with genotyping samples from salmon behavior in Icelandic rivers.

Icelandic rivers.

“We hope to follow up with a similar project for “One of the biggest motivations for the project Copyright iStockphoto/Matis ltd.

North America and Greenland. That would give us is the state of salmon stock in the south, i.e. Spain a holistic picture of the total area inhabited by the North Atlantic and the surrounding area. Due to changes in the weather pattern the salmon. The project would be conducted similarly to how it was in local salmon stock is in serious danger. In addition there are many Europe, that is to start basic work by taking samples genotyping fish unanswered questions regarding salmon, such as what happens from rivers and then analyzing samples from oceangoing fish,” says when they go from rivers to oceans.”

Kristinn. n Participants in the project included research associations such as

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Copyright Matis ltd.

pete within world markets. Matis’ international projects will aid this work in the coming years, for instance with more emphasis on marketing related projects, focus on environmental issues and impact as well as reliable monitoring of food safety.

A similar story is evident in the Icelandic agriculture industry.

Possibilities abroad will open up in this sector in the near future,

not in the least due to an increase in scientific research work.

Matis aims to scope out and explore these possibilities.

Our scientists deem our reputation abroad to be something upon which we can build even further. Not just because we are Icelandic, but because of what we can do and what we know. Of this we can be proud, and we shall continue in this direction. n

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New connections to WiseFish – added value for the seafood industry WiseFish now connects to Innova from Marel and SeaData from TrackWell

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aritech will present WiseFish our seafood software solutions, BI tools, and new connections to Marel’s Innova and Trackwell’s SeaData systems at the Brussels Seafood Show in Belgium this year.

Stop by for a cup of coffee and an introduction to our solutions at stand 6127 – 4 (Hall 4). „Many of our customers are now looking at a new and far more powerful version of WiseFish based on the latest Microsoft technology. The scalable management and delivery infrastructure that comes with the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 platform allows us to offer more dynamic functionality and enhancements to WiseFish while reducing application deployment costs, such as our new web services and a new environmental technology that enables all connections to data centres to be handled externally,“ says Jon Heidar Palsson, VP of sales & marketing.

We remain at the forefront of our technology, with quality control, planning tools, full traceability, and inventory management embedded at every stage, from vessel or farm right to final sale and delivery. „Recently we have been working on standard connections to Innova from Marel and TrackWell SeaData which is a fleet management system that requires catch and product registration. To our main partners these connections make the implementation and installation much simpler and easier, „says Jon Heidar.

He explains that his vision consists of the continued development of software solutions for the fishing industry and services to numerous companies nationally and internationally. „We have professionals with extensive knowledge and experience of services and software for the fishing industry. We are foremost specialists in information technology for the seafood industry with an emphasis on consulting, software development and software implementation, along with high quality and personal service.” » Branded international as WiseDynamics product line: WiseFish is based on the WiseDynamics product line: Wise Dynamics NAV, Wise Fishing, Wise Processing, Wise Aquaculture, Wise Trading, Wise Traceability, Wise Management, Wise

Analyzer, Wise BI Cubes, Wise Reports, Wise Phone and Wise Contract Management, solutions that give you a competitive edge in business.

Please visit our websites: www.wisefish.com, www.wisedynamics.com, www.maritech.is.

For further information visit our stand 6127-4 (Hall 4) or contact: Blair Shelton, Regional Manager, Halifax, Canada, bshelton@wisedynamics.com.

Jon Heidar Palsson, VP sales & marketing, Reykjavik, Iceland, jhp@maritech.is. n

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Find us at booth 6127-4 at the

European Seafood Exposition Brussels - Hall 4

www.wisefish.com

- Seafood Software Solutions

Seafood Software Solutions

– for the entire value chain

BI Solutions

– affordable and user friendly BI and analytics software

Visit us for a demo and further information

Blair Shelton

Jon Heidar Palsson

Regional Manager Halifax, Canada tel: (902) 452 7402 bshelton@wisedynamics.com

VP sales & marketing Reykjavik, Iceland tel: +354 821 3282 jhp@maritech.is

WiseDynamics 5251 Duke Street, Suite 606, Duke Tower, Halifax, NS - B3J 1P3 Canada · Tel: +902 482 2663 · www.wisedynamics.com Maritech Borgartún 26, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland & Hafnarstræti 102, 600 Akureyri, Iceland · Tel: +354 545 3200 · www.maritech.is

TM

Gold Enterprise Resource Planning Silver Independent Software Vendor (ISV)

The most important business in Iceland is fish!

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By Thor Sigfusson founder and Managing Director of the

Iceland Ocean Cluster

he fisheries sector has been regarded as one of the cornerstones of the Icelandic economic sector for quite some time. But a detailed description of the economic scope of the Icelandic fisheries industry and related industries has until recently not existed. A recent report by Ragnar Arnason and Thor Sigfusson, published by Islandsbanki and The Iceland Ocean Cluster gives a broader perspective and sheds a new light on the dynamism of the fisheries industry in Iceland which will be named here the Ocean cluster.

The term ocean cluster refers to the traditional fisheries sector and all the manufacturing activities it supports, whether directly or indirectly. This includes manufacturing operations that can be regarded as having resulted from the fisheries industry, in the sense that they initially served the domestic fisheries sector but have subsequently developed to stand on their own, and may even have started their own exports. The reason that it is considered appropriate to include such operations in the ocean cluster is that they were created because of the traditional fisheries industry, grew under its protection and would probably not exist at present if it were not for the industry’s support to begin with.

A new perspective...

Consequently, it is clear that by examining the ocean cluster as a whole, a much clearer picture of the importance of the fisheries sector in the Icelandic economy can be obtained. In addition to that already mentioned, it must be kept in mind that relatively simple changes to operating arrangements in the traditional fisheries sector, such as employing contractors for more tasks (i.e. outsourcing), can significantly distort the view of the economic importance of the sector if account is only taken of the fisheries firms. These tasks may be quite substantial, such as offloading catches, maintenance work on fishing vessels and fish processing plants, as well as a variety of other services. When fisheries firms decide to purchase such services from other companies instead of performing them themselves, official figures can indicate a decrease in the number of people employed by the fisheries sector when in fact no decrease has occurred.

The figure above describes all the parts of the Iceland Ocean cluster. The base industry is the fisheries and fish processing.

But as the cluster has developed a range of concerns linked to the traditional fisheries sector has thrived and initiated its own export of goods and services connected to the ocean in one way or another. These companies in question have managed to obtain the knowledge, technology and manufacturing capacity that has enabled them to gain a foothold in overseas markets. Specifi-

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cally, these companies are technology companies, companies in the chemical industry, transport companies, sales and marketing companies and service companies of various types. The most important industries and services are Ocean technology, where Marel is in the leadership role but also including over 60 smaller firms which all export technology for the global fisheries industry.

Transportation is also a very important part of the ocean cluster where Icelandic firms have become important players in shipping of fisheries products in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The fourth pillar is Marketing and distribution where Icelandic firms such as Icelandic and Iceland Seafood have become globally known for their marketing and sales activities. Other parts of the Iceland ocean cluster are smaller but some are strengthening such as finance and service and biotechnology. ...shows more importance of fisheries in Iceland than previously...

The assessment of the direct and indirect contribution of the ocean cluster to the GDP, its demand effect and the independent export operations that have grown in the cluster, is summarised in the table below.

Fisheries industry: Direct contribution Indirect contribution Demand effect Other export operations of the Cluster: Total

% of GDP 10.20% 7.30% 7.00% 1.50% 26.00%

Table. Estimated contribution of the ocean cluster to the GDP 2010 Percentages of the GDP In other words, the total contribution to the GDP is approximately 26%. For further comparison, it is worth mentioning that investigations into the economic impact of ocean clusters in countries such as Ireland, the UK, Canada and New Zealand, indicate that the economic impact of ocean clusters in these countries is between 1.5-5%.

One of the main goals of this research was to explain how a dynamic base industry, in this case the fishing industry, can form the foundation for a diverse range of other industries that may subsequently become considerably larger than the initial base industry. There are numerous examples of this overseas. For in-

stance, not long ago the Netherlands were a leading force in flower growing in the world. Flower cultivation has now moved to other countries while the Netherlands have become a world leader in flower marketing and sales. Another example is of Finnish companies who serviced Nokia with a diversity of related operations connected with mobile phones, and have now established themselves as the largest companies in the world in the field of various kinds of applications for mobile phones. The development of the Icelandic fisheries industry and the development of diverse related operations in the ocean cluster is merely one more example of the same phenomenon, i.e. how a dynamic base industry leads to a cluster of industries that multiply the contribution of the base industry to the GDP and can, moreover, create a new independent base industry. ...and substantial opportunities if managed properly.

To date, the Icelandic ocean cluster has clearly been undergoing a growth and development phase. This can be seen from the fact

that a large and growing aspect in the ocean cluster is the independent export of goods by companies in the cluster.

The business about fish in Iceland is becoming more and more linked with high technology and knowledge creation. That is why the fishing industry can, if managed properly, continue to be the cornerstone of the Icelandic economy and a source for good income and opportunities for new generations of well educated and trained people. n

Your Seafood Financial Partners

We are proud to present our new Canadian Seafood Market Report, providing an analytical overview of the Canadian seafood industry, covering import, export, consumption and main species. Recently, in collaboration with the project Iceland Ocean Cluster, our research team also published The Importance of the Ocean Cluster for the Icelandic Economy.

Please visit our booth #6-834 at the European Seafood Exposition 2012 for an introduction to the reports. �slandsbanki is an Icelandic bank offering comprehensive financial services to individuals, households, corporations and professional investors. Building on a heritage of servicing the country’s core industry, seafood, the bank has developed specific expertise in that industry.

Recently the bank established a fully owned subsidiary in New York, Glacier Securities, specializing in the seafood industry in the Americas. Glacier is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Glacier Securities LLC is a part of Glacier Geothermal and Seafood Corporation.

To download the reports free of charge, please visit: www.islandsbanki.is/seafood

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Samskip’s integral service to the North-Atlantic fishing industry

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e consider the North-Atlantic to be one service area, where our transport routes and cold storage facilities play a key role. We offer companies in this area a variety of services, including transportation of fresh, frozen and salted fish products, operating hi-tech temperature controlled facilities and related services for freezing trawlers and fishing vessels,” says Ásbjörn Gíslason, CEO of Samskip.

Samskip´s services in this area have been growing steadily during the past few years, and are built upon seafood exports from the North-Atlantic countries. The company’s four cold storage facilities are an important link in the transport chain.

Located at Rotterdam in Holland, Alesund in Norway operated under the FrigoCare banner, Kollafjordur in the Faroe Islands and Reykjavík, Iceland under Samskip’s name. The storage space is 45.000 tons in total; 18.000 tons in Norway, 6.000 tons in Iceland, 7.000 tons in the Faroe Islands, and 14.000 tons in Holland. » Unique position in Rotterdam “Our position in Rotterdam is in many ways unique,” claims Gíslason. “We are probably the only shipping company that owns and runs its own cold storage facility in Rotterdam, the largest logistic and industrial hub in Europe. The facility is placed right next to Samskip’s premises adding to the optimisation and synergy effect.”

Gíslason points out that Rotterdam is the gateway for fish products entering the European market, as well as the Asian market and others. Therefore it creates a unique position to be able to provide these services all in one place in Rotterdam; the ships, the containers, and the cold storage facility.

“It also makes it possible for us to offer integral services for transport- and storage solutions for our customers. Business is extensive and therefore the utilisation of the Rotterdam cold storage facility is very good on average, it is pretty much full the whole year round.” » In the heart of the Norwegian fishing industry Samskip’s cold storage facility and premises in Alesund,

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Norway, also plays a key part in the company’s service to marine product producers in the North-Atlantic. Containerisation is limited when it comes to transporting sea products from the Northern parts of Norway. Coastal vessels are used to transport the products to e.g. Alesund, where it goes either into storage or directly into containers that are then transported to Germany or Holland where they are moved into vessels heading for Asia.

“We receive on average 2-3 ships a week, carrying fish products from Northern Norway to Alesund, and around 3-5 container vessels sailing from our terminal to Hamburg or Rotterdam,” Gíslason explains, and adds that the centre in Alesund also services an increasing amount of freezer trawlers, whose catch either goes into storage or is shipped directly on board containers to be transported into the European or Asian markets.

“Our business in Alesund is therefore considerable, with well over hundred thousand tonnes of frozen seafood products passing through this unit alone each year,” says Gíslason.

“We transport a significant amount of mackerel and capelin from Norway to markets, first and foremost in Asia, utilising the strength of our transport systems. Solutions can of course vary.

We pick the method that best suits the needs of our clients at each time,” Gíslason explains. » Strong in the North-Atlantic Samskip’s services to the fishing industry in Iceland and the Faeroe Islands are also extensive, where the hi-tech cold store facilities, Ísheimar I and II in Reykjavík, and the storage in Kollafjordur in the Faroe Island, are important links. The company offers similar service patterns there as in Alesund.

Another important part of Samskip’s services to the North-Atlantic lies in the co-operation with the Norwegian company Silver Green AS. The company was founded two years ago, with the merger of Silver Sea, half of which was owned by Samskip, and Green Reefers. The company operatesa pool of 15 reefer vessels and mostly operates in transporting frozen sea products, such as herring, mackerel, blue whiting, and capelin from Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Shetlands Islands to Russia, Baltic Sea ports, Holland and the Black Sea. According to Gíslason, Silver Green annually transports hundreds of thousands of tons of frozen sea products, from Iceland and other markets, including a considerable amount of frozen capelin, herring and mackerel, making the company´s ships quite a common sight in Icelandic harbours every week during the fishing seasons. n

Together we make things happen Samskip combines the forward-looking dynamism of a new generation with decades of invaluable experience. We pride ourselves on providing a complete range of quality transport and logistics services. Our closely knit team of professionals and efficient transport network ensure a prompt and secure service throughout the world.

www.samskip.com

Together we make things happen

Decades of experience in producing and supplying: • Corrugated boxes • Solidboard boxes • Uncoated cartons • PE coated cartons • Waxed cartons • Retail packaging

DECADES OF EXPERIENCE Oddi is committed to environmentally friendly manufacturing methods and recycling. Oddi has been the leading company in environmental issues in the Icelandic printing industry and matters concerning the environment are and have always been a top priority issue at Oddi.

From December 2009 Oddi has fulfilled the standards of the Nordic ecolabel and is the only corrugated producer in the world that fulfills that standard. The company’s policy is that its customers can be assured that the products they are purchasing are made with as little environmental disturbance as possible.

Oddi – Ecolabelled Printing Company.

Hofdabakki 7, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland, Tel: +354 515 5000, Fax: +354 515 5001, www.oddi.is

ECOLABELLED PRINTING COMPANY

QUALITY PACKAGING

Well managed Fisheries in Icelandic Waters - IRF at ESE in Brussels 24-26 April 2012

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n recent years, demand for sustainable use of renewable resources, including fish stocks, has increased greatly throughout the world. Icelanders are meeting this demand with responsible fisheries management and protection of the ecosystem to guarantee future growth and sustainable use of marine resources. » Growing export value of seafood products The fishing industry is one of the main pillars of the Icelandic economy. In 2011 the export production of marine products amounted to ISK 252 billion and increased in value by 14.4% from the previous year. Marine products account for approx. 40% of total export value (year 2011).

Responsible fisheries at the Icelandic fishing grounds are a prerequisite for the Icelandic fishing industry continuing to be a solid part of the Icelandic economy and a principal pillar in Iceland’s exports.

» Responsible Fisheries Management in focus Responsible fisheries management has been the most important factor in the strategic strengthening of the fishing industry in Iceland for decades. Fisheries management in Iceland is primarily based on extensive research on the fish stocks and the mar18

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ine ecosystem, decisions made on the conduct of fisheries and allowable catches on the basis of scientific advice, and effective monitoring and enforcement of the fisheries and the total catch.

The basic management approach is allocation of catch quotas by species stock to vessels (ITQs). These are the main pillars of the Icelandic fisheries management intended to ensure responsible fisheries and the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean’s natural resources.

Various special measures are taken to ensure the protection of small fish and vulnerable habitats, such as regulations on the type of fishing gear allowed in different areas and the closing of fishing grounds. Such measures include rules on the minimum mesh size and the use of small-fish sorting grids.

Collecting and bringing ashore any catches in the fishing gear of fishing vessels is obligatory. Discarding catch overboard is prohibited and such conduct is subject to penalty according to law. » Iceland Responsible Fisheries Programme The fishing industry in Iceland was united in developing the Iceland Responsible Fisheries programme in order to promote the Icelandic origin of the seafood and well managed fisheries in Icelandic waters. “Through the Iceland Responsible Fisheries Programme, we have the mechanism to demonstrate how we meet the market demand for sustainable use of marine resources in a manner recognized by our valuable supply chain partners and global stakeholders in seafood,” states Gudny Karadottir, Marketing Manager of the Iceland Responsible Fisheries.

A logo has been developed to provide opportunities for stakeholders in the value chain of Icelandic seafood to highlight Icelandic origin of seafood products. The logo, which indicates Icelandic origin of fish caught in Icelandic waters, and makes

reference to the Statement on Responsible Fisheries in Iceland, can be used on packaging of seafood products produced from catch in Icelandic waters or in advertisements. Specific rules apply for the use of the logo that serves as a marketing tool for the stakeholders. » Verification through FAO-based certification Iceland has taken an active part in the international dialogue on the world’s oceans and in formulating international rules on fisheries. Icelandic legislation accords fully with international agreements on the implementation of fishing and protection of the marine environment.

Certification for the IRF programme is referred to as FAO-based as it is based on the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the 2005/2009 FAO Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries.

These FAO documents referred to above are the most internationally recognised and harmonized reference documents in Fisheries Management. The basis of certification is thus the objective standard found in the above documents that were developed in a transparent, participatory manner with representatives from government authorities, the scientific community, the fishing industry and environmental NGOs. The requirements for a fishery meeting the FAO-based certification model include: • Adoption and implementation of a structured fisheries management system. The objective is to limit the total annual catch (TAC) from the fish stocks so that catches confirm to levels permitted by the relevant authorities.

• Fish stock shall not be overfished and this shall be verified through scientific research and assessment by international experts.

• Implementation of an effective legal and administrative framework for the fishery, with compliance ensured through effective mechanisms for monitoring, surveillance, control and enforcement.

• Effects of the fishery on the ecosystem are limited by the application of a specified approach. » Full and formal ISO 65 Accreditation The accreditation for this programme is formal ISO Guide 65 accreditation from a National Accreditation Body of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). It clarifies at the highest level that the FAO based programme has independence, transparency and credibility.

The Accreditation for the Certification body is delivered through a National Accreditation Body which is wholly independent and an accredited member of the International Accreditation Forum.

The third party certification body, Global Trust Certification Ltd., has progressed full and formal ISO 65 (EN 45011) accreditation for the FAO-based Certification of Responsible Fisheries Management Programme.

ISO 65 accreditation has become the required benchmark for food certification programs across the world by both markets and regulatory authorities. It forms the basis of highest reassurance for communications such as Organic, Food Safety Management and all food certification standards approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative and Food Authorities. Formal accreditation of this nature is specified within the FAO Guidelines for the Eco-labelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries. »

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» Icelandic Cod Fisheries certified The first fisheries being certified against the FAO-based model were the Icelandic cod fisheries. “This was an important milestone for the industry. The certification gives the market confirmation that we are committed to meeting the highest standards and that we take a leading role in sustainable use of our marine resources,” says Gudny Karadottir. The unit of certification is Icelandic cod (Gadus morhua) within 200 mile EEZ fished by all Icelandic registered vessels using all gear types directly and indirectly under the management of the Icelandic Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.

The assessment was conducted by a team of Global Trust in Ireland. The certification committee was independent from both the assessment team and the peer review process. The certification report is available on the web, www.ResponsibleFisheries.is.

Following certification of a fishery, stakeholders in the value chain can apply for Chain of Custody certification for the fishery concerned, from the certification body, Global Trust. By so doing, they acquire the right to use certification by the independent body for marketing purposes under the Iceland Responsible Fisheries programme. Logo with certification mark is a guarantee to buyers and consumers of Icelandic seafood products that the products originate from certified responsible fisheries.

Encouraged by the successful outcome and market recognition of certified Icelandic cod, the Icelandic fisheries made application for three more species: Golden Redfish, Saithe and Haddock, based on the same standards and guidelines. » Growing support internationally The FAO-based model involves a comprehensive scientific review and has much commonality and equivalence with other 20

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global certification programmes in the Fishery sector. It is therefore of no surprise that the model is being supported by an increasing number of market organisations who value its integrity, practicality, consistency and cost effectiveness. The model is suitable for both large and small fisheries. This is an inclusive process which allows for positive benchmarking and will never seek create situation where fisheries are fearful of engaging.

The programme is designed to be international, so it allows for some flexibility within regions to consider regional differences and terminologies.

The model is currently being successfully utilized in fisheries in USA (Alaska), and Canada; Ireland and UK are also adopting the same approach for some fisheries. Certification has been awarded to four fisheries in Alaska: Salmon, Halibut, Sablefish and Pollock, and in addition Crab has entered the certification process. » Participation at the ESE in Brussels Iceland Responsible Fisheries (IRF) will participate and present the origin of seafood from Iceland and FAO-based certification of Icelandic fisheries at the European Seafood Exposition, booth #834 in Hall 6. The IRF team will be available for discussions on how to offer buyers of seafood from Iceland a sustainable choice for the benefit of future generations.

Iceland Responsible Fisheries and Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute will also host a luncheon together for invited guests parallel to the exhibitions.

For further information, see: www.ResponsibleFisheries.is.

Contact: Gudny Karadottir, Marketing manager, gudny@promoteiceland.is, tel +354 511 4000 / +354 693 3233. n

Experimental fishing using lights Halla Jónsdóttir project manager at the Innovation Centre Iceland says: „The idea for this research and development project was first born about a decade ago and it can be said that it involves thinking about trawl fishing in a new way. In stead of using traditional fishing gear from yarn we are making a wall of such or net with lights that are used to round up the fish into the trawl.“ The work on the prototype of the Light Trawl is in its final stages at the Innovation Centre Iceland and the Icelandic Marine Research Institute, along with them the Gunnvör Freezing Plant Ltd. (Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvör) and Fjarðanet Ltd have contributed to the project. Experimental fishing is planned later this year. „Last year we said that experimental fishing would commence shortly, I am hoping that the first experimental fishing tour will go ahead later this year.“ If the experimental fishing tours show promising results, then it will be examined closely whether and how it will be possible to develop the production of this new type of fishing gear. Those who are behind this project have not been willing to give out a lot of information, not surprisingly as high stakes are involved. An application for the patent of this new fishing gear has been applied for. » Patent „Fishing with lights is a lot more environmentally friendly than using traditional fishing gear and will minimize the disruption to the seabed. Our calculations show that the oil consumption of the trawler during fishing could decrease up to around forty percent. We also know that the cost of oil for fishing ships has increased a lot recently

so we are talking about a lot of money which will matter more every day to the fishery companies. In other words we can say that we are offering a more environmentally friendly option which will reduce the usage of oil. There is a lot to gain from this.“ Those fishing operators that the Icelandic Fishing Industry Magazine has spoken to all agree that this new fishing tool is a very exciting innovation. It is clear that the industry will be watching this revolutionary project closely. This applies not only to Icelandic fishing companies, but the fishing companies of the leading fishing nations of the world. „The Light Trawl project has indeed been costly but fortunately there are many that have supported us financially and technically.

I would like to mention the Department of Trade and Industry, the Technological Development Fund, AVS ant the Growth Contract of the Western Fjords. » To be seen As far as the Icelandic Fishing Industry Magazine can see the lighting gear will be put on board one of the ships of the freezing plant Gunnvör in Hnífsdalur. The eyes of the industry will therefor be on the Western Fjords when the experimental tour will take place later this year.

How likely is it that lights will replace traditional fishing gear in the future? Halla Jónsdóttir says that as a scientist she can not answer that question conclusively „We will simply have to wait and see, but we are quite hopeful.“ n

Photo: The Icelandic Marine Research Institute and Innovation Centre Iceland

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Iceland leads the farming of Arctic Charr

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celand is the biggest producer of Arctic Charr in the world, with a total export of over 3.000 tons annually. Production is increasing and will reach close to 4.000 tons this year. The world production of Arctic Charr is estimated to be around 8.000 tons. Other countries farming this special fish are Canada with 1.000 tons, Sweden 800, Norway 500 and Finland and Ireland with 100 tons each. One might say that in this circle, Iceland is a big fish in a small pond. The production is on the whole very low, compared to salmon, and the market so called Micro High end market. The Charr is mostly sold to restaurants and catering to areas where delicacy and quality is more an issue than the price.

The company Menja is the second biggest exporter of arctic Charr in Iceland and consequently in the world with some 1.000 tons annually and growing. The far biggest is Samherji. The owner of Menja, Árni Ólafsson, says things are going well in this very small market. The fish mainly goes to the the east coast of the United States and northern part of Europe. New markets are opening on the west coast as well. In Europe the arctic charr goes to Scandinavia and to Austria and nortern Italy. The fish is popular on special occasions and has for example in the last years been served at the Paris Open Tennis Tournament.

The Iceland Arctic Charr are farmed in land based, closed systems, and thus, there is only a minor risk associated with escapes

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of farmed fish to the wild. There is also a low risk of pollution and habitat effects, as closed systems have adequate wastewater treatment. Ólafsson says the outstanding water quality is a key factor in the production. The same temperature all year round and the purest water in the world, “the same water we drink,” he says.

Iceland Arctic Charr is sold as whole, gutted fish with the head on, or as fully trimmed fillets, well suited for further processing, fresh or frozen. The firm flesh color varies from red to pale red.

With its delicate flesh, Arctic Charr has a wide range of uses. Iceland Arctic Charr is marketed mainly fresh and frozen as whole dressed fish and steaks. In whatever form, it is a highly priced delicacy. Taste wise, it is said to combine the delicious flavours of brook trout and salmon. » Quality Fish, Healthy and Safe to Eat Iceland Arctic Charr is part of a healthy diet to eat. With fat content of 5% to 15%, a good portion of healthy fish oils and a medium low caloric total, the fish is an excellent choice for light dishes. The fat content is lower than most other salmonids, and almost 80% of the fat consists of healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These are the beneficial polyunsaturated fats necessary to the human body which definitely seem to play a part in the prevention of diseases of the heart and vascular system. Iceland Arctic Charr is rich in Omega 3 and in vitamins A, D and B12. n

92% of Lysi’s products are exported Katrín Pétursdóttir CEO of the Icelandic marine lipid company Lysi says: „We are exporting around 92% of our production to over 67 countries. Lysi’s products can be found in Asia, Europe, the US and South-America,” She says that it is hard to keep up with the demand of foreign markets for the company’s products. „That is why we are enlarging our processing plant and reinforcing our complete-processing equipment. This enlargement will make it possible for us to double our production capacity.”

Pétursdóttir says that Lysi has a certain uniqueness in the foreign market because the company produces many different types of oil, f.ex. cod-liver oil, shark oil and Omega-3 oil, while the main competitors focus on producing one type of product.

Many of Lysi’s foreign competitors have been producing products

with over 90% Omega-3 fatty acids, and such products are only sold to prescription holders. Lysi’s products only include up to 60% of Omega-3. When asked Pétursdóttir says that Lysi is not planning on starting production of products with such a high percentage of fatty acids and points out that in Iceland it is traditional to take marine lipids as a food supplement.

Pétursdóttir says: „It is very costly to change a product from a food supplement to a drug and it would also require a lot of liver for the production. We have never exported our products as any thing other than a food supplement. We see ourselves as specialists in producing marine lipids and we are not planning on changing our direction. We are busy enough meeting the demands we already have for our product.” n

Optim-Ice® Your Catch!

The quick downcooling is what this Optim-Ice® is all about

source: Seafish Scotland

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COOLING OF SMALL HADDOCK STORED IN ICE

12 Temperature (°C)

It is important to cool the catch rapidly in the first hours after it is caught, as this can lengthen the shelf life dramatically.

Optim-Ice® is one of the best cooling medium on the market that delivers rapid rate of cooling and at the same time does not bruise or damage the catch.

The cooling medium is viscous, consisting of microscopic ice crystals.

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10 8 6 4

Flake Ice

2

Pumpable Ice

0 -2

0

1

2

3

4

Time (hours)

5

6

Stangarhyl 6 | 110 Reykjavik | Iceland | Tel. +354 587 1300 | Fax. +354 587 1301 | optimar@optimar.is | www.optimar.is

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Ensuring quality starts as soon as the fish is caught

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s anyone working in the fishing industry knows there are many different ways to catch fish and to treat it after it has been caught. At first, the fish should be caught and brought on board the vessel alive and with minimum damage. It has been proven that long-line fishing is the best way to catch fish and get it on board alive. Mustad has long had a reputation in delivering fully automatic long-line systems, and its recently introduced system, called “Select Fish” is even more selective in what kinds of species will be caught.

When the fish comes on board the vessel it should get the correct handling. It needs to bleed in the correct way, and for that 3X Technology has developed the Rotex on board system, where it is guaranteed that all fish bleed in the same uniform way, ensuring correct bleeding and chilling and a fine quality product as the best end result.

It is of very high importance that the fish is chilled immediately after it comes on board the vessel. A high quality ice machine is therefore a requirement when it comes to ensuring the quality of the fish. The Icelandic company Kæling Ltd, provides this kind of ice machines. The machines produce ice on board the vessel and ensure the necessary low temperature in the containers. » The vessel plays an important role In this whole process the type of the vessel plays an important role. The vessel should also deliver the quality as required. Many types of boats risk the danger of harbouring bacteria. Materials (such as wood, steel and aluminium), that many vessels are made from, allow bacteria to settle and grow. New technology has however enabled us to fight this threat and more and more people understand the importance of catching fish with a vacuum infused fishing vessel.

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Seigla Ltd. is one of the few companies in the world that builds fishing vessels with this method. The material is not only as strong as steel, but is also easy to clean, insulating and reduces noise. The noise reduction leads to a better catch, the surface is very easy to clean and bacteria are unable to settle. The insulation keeps the fish in the fish hold, on better temperature which results in higher quality of fish landed. » The Saga K A newly delivered vessel in Norway has all these features. The „Saga K” is a 15 meter long and 5.7 meter wide vessel. It is the largest vacuum infused fishing boat in the world and the largest glass fibre boat ever built in Iceland. It has an automatic Mustad Long-line system, with 30.000 hooks installed, a 3X Technology ROTEX bleeding and chilling tanks and an ice machine from Kæling. The vessel is completely vacuum infused and built by Seigla Ltd. It is one of the most modern fishing vessels of its class in the world. The company behind this vessel is Eskøy AS. They currently have two vessels. The Saga K fished around 202 tons of fish in January 2012.

Seigla Ltd. currently has 35 employees and many specialised partners. The company builds 10 to 15 boats a year, depending on size. Since its first delivery, Seigla Ltd. had delivered 80 boats until the 1st of August 2011. It is expected to reach the 100th delivery in the year of 2012.

With 6 basic moulds, Seigla can build any size of boat up to 15 meters and custom made hulls above the 15 meter mark. n

International collaboration is the key to the advancement of research

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atis is not only a powerful research- and knowledge-based company on an Icelandic scale, but is fully comparable to similar foreign companies and institutions. For example, it is difficult to find a company with as much extensive knowledge and experience in terms of research on marine products. In this field, we can confidently claim that Matis is among the best in the world,” says Hordur G. Kristinsson, Director of Research at Matis.

From the beginning, Matis has emphasized international research and development work has expanded with foreign collaborations which are now a large part of the company’s operations.

Matis’ employees have both the education and the comprehensive experience useful for endeavours around the world. “This international emphasis is necessary to maintain Matis’ solid operations and to connect even further with other strong and established research- and development groups abroad. International collaboration is the key to the advancement of research which in turn, clearly benefits Icelandic society. An example of the success Matis currently enjoys is that we are participating in approximately 30

international research projects. Of those, Matis is a leading partner in ten large projects, all involving several international co-operations,” states Hordur G. Kristinsson. » New methods – new approach Hordur refers to Amylomics and Ecofishman as examples. The two projects are generously supported by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme and have received an outstanding evaluation. The projects are entirely dissimilar and thus, according to Hordur, demonstrate easily the broad field and expert knowledge that is to be found within Matis. “The goal of the Amylomics project is to discover new, robust enzymes from Icelandic hot springs and then transform starches in an innovative way. This could lead to a revolution in how starch variations are utilized in the food industry as one example, as well as in the production and capitalization of novel, Icelandic enzymes. The Ecofishman project is focused on developing a new integrated fisheries management system in which stakeholders have the opportunity

What are the environmental effects of fish products?

Traceability and the environmental impact of fish products are the main themes of the EU sponsored WhiteFish project in which Matís is participating, alongside parties in Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

The project is focused on developing methods to evaluate the environmental effects of fish produce, from the time of fishing until consumption. The environmental analysis is based on a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) which results in it extending to all areas of the value chain. Therefore, it factors in components such as the state of the fish Copyright Matis ltd. stocks, the effects of fishing techniques, energy consumption in processing and transport, waste management throughout the whole process, and the elimination or recycling of packaging, etc.

“Judging from the experience we have had from the eco-labelling of sea products, this sort of information is most important for wholesalers and retailers. Most consumers are not prepared to delve into these issues, but on the other hand, they trust that the party selling the seafood is offering a product with an acceptable environmental track record. Big chain stores have their own standards in regards to this and with the WhiteFish-project, we are taking things one step further than the “traditional” eco-labelling and calculating the environmental impact of the product’s whole value chain,” says Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson, Research Group Leader at Matís.

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“Over the last few semesters, wild fish from the North-Atlantic Ocean have been facing increased market competition from less expensive, farmed fish from Asia and Africa, such as pangasius and tilapia. With the WhiteFish-project, we hope to be able to show that when all things are considered, our fish has less environmental impact than its competitors.”

Fresh fillets from Iceland are used for the development of the project and also, the same process is examined for fresh whole fish from Iceland which is transported in containers to Grimsby, UK where it is then processed. The third research topic is sea-frozen fish from Norway and finally, pre-packaged fishmeal produced in Sweden.

“From this project a side-project has developed, supported by the Nordic Innovation Centre, in which we are looking at what information the market is demanding, i.e. the retailers and the consumers, in terms of both content and form. These are questions such as whether or not consumers wish to have accessible information regarding fishing methods and the state of the fish stock, how detailed the content descriptions need to be, or if it is better to develop a computerized coding system in which the consumers can obtain further information on-line and track the process themselves, etc. Developing how to best present this information to consumers can create a unique advantage for Nordic fish products and in that way, make this research more sought after,” says Jónas Rúnar. n

Copyright Matis ltd.

to influence the development of the fisheries management. The end result shall lead to necessary improvements to the current fisheries management system for the benefit of all involved,” says Hordur. » Matis on all continents Aside from large, continental European projects, Matis’ Nordic collaborations have also been quite robust. Matis was outstanding in receiving grants from the Nordic Innovation Program in the fall of 2011. Matis is leading five substantial projects that received grants from the Program, and is a key participant in nearly all supported projects. “This is a good example of the energy and ambition that characterizes Matis’ work. The projects vary from developing new consumer produce from Icelandic seaweed to creating a marketing strategy for Nordic white fish products,” says Hordur. Matis’ collaborations are not only on a European scale, but extend to almost every continent.

As one example, a development programme was commenced with the Tanzanian government in 2011. It focuses on the research of fish, fish processing, and an evaluation of the social status of fishing communities around Lake Tanganyika. Over the last few semesters, Matis has worked on other pertinent developmental programs in Africa, such as in Kenya and Mozambique, geared towards quality control and the training of fisheries inspectors and technicians. As further examples, on the other

side of the Atlantic Ocean, Matis has been involved in fish farming projects in Chile, as well as researching bioactive chemicals in US seawaters in collaboration with both universities, and large corporations. In Canada, a project has just been launched to research fish proteins on Type 2 diabetes, a growing worldwide problem. These projects are all due to the specialized knowledge and experience of the Matis employees whose skills are highly sought after. » Record in the number of student projects Matis’ role and influence in the education and training of students has been growing and the company has strong ties with several respected universities abroad. Hordur mentions a successful collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU) since its foundation, in which Matis employees play an important part in the teaching of quality management, while providing Matis’ facilities to students working on their final projects.

“Last year we had a record number of students with us here at Matis working on various projects. Included were many foreign students from around the world, all benefiting from the guidance of Matis’ scientists and the excellent facilities the company has to offer them. They find Matis an exciting option due to the company’s links to both companies, and the university environment, since most of the student projects are scientific in nature but with a desire for practical application.” n

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Processing know-how

from source to shelf t ADVANCED salmon and whitefish processing solutions

t ECONOMIC labour-saving solutions for tilapia and pangasius processing We welcome you to an all-round innovation experience.

Visit us at Stand 6227 – Hall 4 Seafood Processing Europe 2012

www.marel.com/SPE2012