Icelanders have established a good reputation when it comes to the utilization of seafood and innovation in the fisheries sector. Matís and its partners have supported this development well through research and innovation.
Iceland's success in this field has attracted deserved attention and foreign parties have realized that this is where unique knowledge and experience in the fisheries sector can be found. The Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Elisabeth Aspaker visited Matís today to learn about the company's operations and get answers to the question "Why are Icelanders so diligent in producing and selling high quality products made from white and pelagic fish?"
The question is fully justified because the difference between Iceland and Norway's catch utilization is significant. In Iceland, for example, 570 kg of products are obtained from 1 tonne of cod, but the same amount yields only 410 kg of products to Norway. The difference is 16% or 160 kg per tonne, which means that the Norwegian value added from their total catch in the Barents Sea in 2013 could amount to just over NOK 1 billion or ISK 21 billion if they adopted Icelandic methods.1
In fact, fisheries ministers on both sides of the Atlantic have made their way to Matís in recent days, as a week ago Keith Hutchings, Newfoundland's Minister of Fisheries, also visited Matís. Increased cod fishing outside Newfoundland creates new opportunities for the fishing industry. In addition, he showed great interest in the role of Matís as a bridge between universities and the business community, and believed that this collaboration would strengthen the industry.