Category: News

Thanks for the year ahead.

Matís staff wishes its customers and all Icelanders a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Icelanders have succeeded in following a centuries-old decision and maintaining a free and sovereign state here. Verstöðin Ísland has strengthened over the past century, a development that began with the mechanization of the fishing industry at the beginning of the 20th century. The average cod catch from 1918 to 2017 was just over 238 thousand tonnes per year. At the same time, the proportion of cod from the ¾ total catch of Icelanders decreased to 21%, but the total catch has increased from 98 thousand tonnes to 1176 thousand tonnes due to fishing for other stocks in parallel with increased capacity and improved technology. On average, cod have been around 26% of landed catch in the so-called restaurant. Cod is still the most important species we catch, about 44% of the value of landed catch in 2017 is due to cod fishing. At the time of the establishment of the sovereignty, the share of cod in the total catch value was close to 78%. The Icelandic fisheries sector is diverse and has developed with each step that has been taken. It is hoped that we will learn from history and be able to take more but fewer positive steps in the future.

New direction - new thinking

On the thirtieth anniversary of Iceland's sovereignty, Icelanders decided to make scientific knowledge the basis for fisheries management in Icelandic waters. Less than three decades later, Icelanders had unchallenged control of the 200-mile economic zone around the country. Around the same time, it gradually dawned on us that the fishing capacity of our fishing vessels was beyond what the fish stocks could carry, and therefore the fishing capacity of the vessel and the fishing capacity of the fish stocks had to be adjusted. Demands on the markets are that the utilization of fish stocks is sustainable, that we do not go closer to the resources than they can handle.

We Icelanders set a policy, based on the prevailing fisheries management system in 2003, to increase the value of seafood rather than increase the amount of seafood. Growing demands, as well as a willingness to show responsibility in the management of marine resources, played a part in the decision-making process. We followed it up with an increased emphasis on practical research and development work with the aim of increasing value. A major step in that direction was the establishment of an AVS research fund in the fisheries sector. Various collaborative projects were carried out to advance for the benefit of the whole, so that the outcome of individual projects could contribute to improving the interests of all Icelanders.

Consistent quality yields more valuable trades

In view of the export value of what was caught each year, it can be said that it was possible to quickly increase the value of seafood, with research funded by the ACP, after the decision was made. The value more than enough doubled from 2003 to 2011, in foreign currencies, although little has been done in that direction in recent years. 

Based on the approach of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to assess price developments in international trade in seafood (FAO Fish Price Index), the value of Icelandic seafood increased faster than it did. Value creation affects the operations and operating results of companies in the fisheries value network, including the margins of fisheries companies.

In any case, the development of value creation in the fisheries sector in Iceland was not the same in this decade as in the previous one, so it is important that we pick up the thread and continue to develop the fisheries sector with increased value creation as a goal. It should be noted that the above measure is not the only pure truth that states the status of the fisheries sector in Iceland, for example, the increased capacity of each link in the seafood value chain is not directly reflected in the measure of the export value of each kilogram caught. The composition of the catch as well as the total catch certainly have an effect on the above-mentioned scale as well as how the catch is handled until the seafood is sold out of the country, such as whether the catch is landed for landing in a foreign port, whole frozen fish on board, filleted, flat or melted, to name a few. named.  

In order to promote value creation for the future in the Icelandic fisheries sector, Icelanders need to maintain their position by tightening their grip, do not beat any of the quality requirements, even put more emphasis on product quality and responses to consumer preferences than has been done recently. Consistent quality can make more valuable trades possible.

About a year ago, the Fisheries Conference was encouraged to aim for this fivefold  of the valuables we process from seafood. Unfortunately, discussions about that goal have not taken place in modern forums.

Investment in research pays off

In 1918, exported marine products weighed 29 thousand tons, which amounted to 29% of landed catch. In comparison, in 2017, Icelanders exported 609 thousand tonnes of seafood, which amounted to almost 52% of landed catch.

Increased value creation can lead to prosperity. Experience shows that investment in research and innovation is important for the development of industries. The framework for innovation must be able to encourage increased value creation. Stable and long lasting. It is good to know that individual companies are strong enough to pay a good salary for well-educated and good people with experience, but it can come down to the whole thing that there is no systematic work to lift the floor. It may happen to us Icelanders if entrepreneurs and smaller companies do not have access to qualified, educated and experienced professionals.

AVS was a key fund that created an atmosphere where a lot of effort was put into increasing the value of seafood, but that fund seems to be running out. Its budget aims to be around 40% from what it was at its peak in 2011 and next year's government contribution to AVS will be less than half of 2011. AVS is crucial for most if not all of the companies that have suffered the most in connection with changed the image of the fisheries sector, just like the projects that have been carried out in collaboration with more traditional fisheries companies.

AVS grants are about 4% of Matís 'turnover, grants from the Science and Technology Policy Council's funds, under the supervision of Rannís, are about 9% of Matís' turnover. Revenues other than Matís' service agreement on food research with the Ministry of Industry and Innovation, such as research grants, are for the most part (72%) under the innovation that Matís provides.

In 2015, Matís booked revenue from projects in connection with European research collaboration in the amount of ISK 215 million, and then the state contribution to AVS was ISK 217 million. Since then, Matís has earned more on these European tickets than has been invested in AVS.

The thread will be picked up again

Much has been achieved over the past century, but we all need to do our part to be able to boast of operating in a competitive industry in the future. The sadness in today's fisheries sector is that we seem to have abandoned the extensive co-operation and sincere determination that was made to increase value creation in fishing, processing and sales of seafood. Certainly, there is value in the sale of knowledge or equipment that has been developed with knowledge of the nature and content of the Icelandic fisheries sector in collaboration that has often been supported by national research and development funds.

I hope we are fortunate enough to follow up on decisions that are effective in the future, implementing them in our daily lives to contribute to the betterment of all of us, but not giving up in the middle.

This article written by Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson first appeared on pages 48 and 49 in 7.-8. issue of the 111th year of Ægis on the occasion of the centenary of sovereignty at the end of November.

Following the news that has appeared in Iceland Review and in The moment in recent days, it can be understood that Matís was responsible for the study under discussion.

In the case in question, Matís is only involved in genetic sampling for a customer, but the customer was otherwise responsible for the research. Matís is a company that sells various services and consultancy in the field of food production, genetics, biotechnology, fisheries and agriculture, in addition to conducting various food-related research projects. Those who buy measurements or analyzes from Matís are the owners of the results and it is up to those who buy the service what they do with the results, whether the service is in the form of chemical measurements, genetic analysis or microbiological measurements, for example.

Matís does not carry out inspections, although inspectors such as the Food Administration, the Marine Research Institute or the Health Inspectorate purchase services from Matís.

The company Matís has a strong science and knowledge community based on strong research infrastructure and collaboration to maximize the impact of investments in research and innovation, so Matís can help its customers increase value creation, food security and public health.

In view of the growing global need for protein, there has been a great need for increased knowledge of the quality properties of fishmeal and animal feed in order to increase the value of these products. In mid-November, a workshop was held in connection with Nordic production of fishmeal and fish oil in Copenhagen.

The workshop had 75 participants and came from all over Europe. The group consisted of scientists, producers, retailers and customers who participated in five work sessions where specific aspects of production were examined separately.

The Nordic countries have recently joined forces and set up a so-called Nordic Quality Council for Fishmeal and Oil, e. Nordic Center of Excellence in Fishmeal and Oil , which aims to strengthen Nordic co-operation and increase knowledge of the quality characteristics of fishmeal and fish oil. The intention is to bring Nordic fishmeal production and fish oil to the forefront, thus ensuring the supply of safe and quality fishmeal and fish oil for feed and food production.

The Nordic Center of Excellence Network organized and EUfishmeal hosted the event and Matís took an active part in the event. 

King bait fishing has been practiced in Iceland for a long time and has been used both for bait and for human consumption. In Eggert Ólafsson's Travelogue from 1772, it is reported that the bait king was considered a great gentleman's food among the inhabitants of Breiðafjörður. However, it was not until 1996 that king bait fishing and processing for export really began in this country, but the company Sægarpur in Grundarfjörður paved the way. Since then, fishing in Iceland has varied somewhat from year to year, with market conditions having the greatest impact. The fishing has been practiced almost exclusively in Breiðafjörður and there are mainly two companies that have fished and processed vigorously, ie. Sægarpur in Grundarfjörður and Royal Iceland in Reykjanesbær. Sægarp's operations went bankrupt in 2013 and since then Royal Iceland has been one of the fishing companies.

The kingfishers' world catch has been around 30-35 thousand tonnes a year, with the United Kingdom and France being the largest pledge nations. There are good markets for bait king in many parts of Central and Southern Europe, as well as all over Asia. Icelandic production has, however, by far mostly gone to markets in Asia, such as China, Korea and Japan.

It is known that in certain market areas there is a considerable demand for live bait king and in some cases a higher price is paid for such a product. The relatives of Sægarp in Grundarfjörður therefore decided to investigate whether fishing, processing and exporting of live bait king was a viable option. They therefore got Matís on board and with the loyal support of the AVS fund, extensive research and experimental activities were undertaken.

Experiments were carried out with different catch treatments on board a fishing vessel and storage or transport, which gave indications that with the right handling and finishing it would be possible to keep the bait king alive for approx. week. however, the aim had been to ensure at least 10 days of survival in order for it to be considered realistic to intend to export a live bait king. However, the results of the experiments showed that when more than a week had passed since the hunt, survival decreased rapidly and the meat had become unfit for consumption on the tenth day. It is possible that these processes could be better developed to ensure better survival, but based on these results, the shelf life is not long enough to be considered a viable option at this time.

Attempts were also made to keep the bait king alive in a cycle system in a fish tank. The aim of these experiments was to investigate whether it was possible to store live bait king in a "warehouse" for processing on land. A circuit system was equipped with filter equipment that was sufficient to keep the bait king alive for a week. It is not unlikely that this time can be extended with more powerful filtering equipment than was used in these experiments. These results must be considered positive and conducive to the fact that they could be taken up by companies that process bait king.
Markets for live bait king were also examined, but it can be said that this survey has finally brought home the truth that the export of live bait king is not a viable option. It is simply a better option to win the bait king here at home. If market conditions change, however, it is not ruled out that processes can be improved to make such exports possible.

The final report of this project is now available here.

Recently, a really interesting project was launched at Matís in collaboration with the University of Iceland, a project that has been named Nýbylgja bragð. The aim of the project is to develop valuable healthy flavors from large algae that can replace salt and be used as flavor enhancing units, ie. substances / compounds or their natural mixtures. The unique properties of the flavors will be used to develop less salty and tastier foods.

It is expected that the flavoring will be used to reduce the use of salt in food and also as a flavoring ingredient for food. A 3D (3D) food printer will be used to develop new healthy products with low salt content, cool appearance and good taste.

The project is part of a master's project in Food and Nutrition University of Iceland.

It should be noted that the project is based on previous projects that have been carried out at Matís; national, Nordic and European projects.

The project is funded by AVS.

Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, has resigned after 8 years. Matís is a strong company with strong human resources. Matís' board thanks Sveinn for his contribution to the company. Under his leadership and with the involvement of powerful staff, their ingenuity and knowledge, Matís has grown.

Oddur Már Gunnarsson is the current CEO as of today. Further information is provided by Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, Chairman of the Board of Matís.

On Wednesday, December 12, 2018, Dr. Ira Levine, President of the Algae Foundation and Professor at the University of Southern Maine with a presentation on algae and algae cultivation.

One of the goals of Dr. Ira Levine to Iceland is establishing contacts between parties in algae cultivation in Maine and Iceland. The Algae Foundation offers free teaching materials that he will present as well as share his experience. Two lectures will be held, one focusing on algae and the other on algae.

More information about the event can be found here.

Just now this ended an amazing episode in the news commentary show Kveik which is shown on RÚV on Tuesday nights. This time it was plastic, both microplastic and plastic that birds and other animals have eaten.

The eyes of rulers around the world have been opened to the threat posed to us by plastic. For example, the European Union is aiming for a major effort in these matters, and it is clear that the next research plans, especially the one starting in 2021, will take these priorities into account.

Of course, it did not go unnoticed how much of a shock it was for Sigríður Halldórsdóttir at RÚV to see the results of Matís' research on water from washing machines, water that goes directly down to our drains and out to sea. Matís has been a strong participant in research and discussion of these issues in recent years, and the company, together with partners, has pushed for the issue of plastic pollution, especially microplastics, to be given greater weight.

Matís has built up a strong infrastructure and knowledge for research on plastics in the environment, participated in research projects on plastics, is a participant in the government's consultation forum on an action plan in the field of plastics and will lead a project within the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2019-2021, which will focus on building a foundation for research and monitoring of plastics, to name but a few.

Plastic pollution is a real threat to the marine environment. We Icelanders have a lot to do with the marine environment, as the fishing industry has been our main industry in recent decades. It is therefore important that the existing knowledge is used to the fullest to counteract the great danger of plastic pollution in the sea. Are we going to use the resources of the ocean in the way that has been and even better? In order for this to be possible, it is necessary to conduct research on all aspects of the value chain of marine products, from the marine environment to fishing and processing and on behalf of consumers, as well as what arises from fish processing.

Matís builds on a good foundation here, as the company and its predecessor (Rannsóknastofnun fiskiðnaðarins) have worked hard together with partners in the industry, in increasing the value of seafood in a sustainable way.

It was often necessary, but now it is necessary to join hands and apply the science to prevent the marine ecosystem around Iceland from being permanently damaged. We need to research the situation, assess the risks that exist and see the positive opportunities that exist if we are to take a strong step forward.

Go ahead!

A new project has just started at the Marine Research Institute and Matís. The project is called eCAP and involves tracking capelin with the surrounding gene (eDNA).

eCAP aims to use DNA found in the environment (ocean) to find and track capelin to increase knowledge of its changing distribution and to improve stock size assessments and fisheries in Icelandic waters. It will benefit the Icelandic fisheries sector, provide new and better methods for estimating stock size and help to assess the total allowable catch. ECAP will also lead to lower carbon emissions in the Icelandic fleet, as it can be expected that less need to sail in search of capelin, if the project's goals are achieved.  

Marine Research Institute, Marine and Water Research and Consulting Institute, manages the project.

The project is funded by Technology Development Fund.