Category: News

There has been a major change in the freezer trawler industry in Iceland since it began in the early 1980s. The share of freezer trawlers in cod has decreased significantly and today it is only caught as a by-catch when fishing for other species such as redfish, saithe and halibut. In 1992, there were most freezer trawlers in the Icelandic fleet, 35 in number, but today they are 23 and declining.

The reasons for the declining share of freezer vessels in the cod fishery can be traced to rising oil prices, high labor costs compared to land processing and changes in fish markets, where there has been an increased demand for fresh fillets and extra raw materials. Uncertainty in the environment of the fishing industry and the increase in fishing fees, however, have prevented the necessary investment, which is a prerequisite for the development of equipment and products of freezer vessels. The vessels are up to date and it is time to renew the fleet, if it is to withstand competition in the production of products on the market that pay higher product prices and withstand competition in the processing of catfish on land. 

The imposition of fishing fees has caused uncertainty and reduced the efficiency of freezer trawlers, which has prevented investment in the industry, as well as a share-based system that does not encourage investment in technology or product development. Freezer trawlers are important to Icelanders, and although their share of cod and haddock has been declining, it must continue to be economical to fish other species with processing vessels. Species such as redfish and halibut are well suited for processing such as this, as distant targets will hardly be retrieved except with freezer trawlers. 

Matís has recently published report which is written following analytical work to present a picture of the various factors that weigh most heavily in the operation of freezer trawlers in Iceland. The report is intended to support decision-making regarding investment in the fisheries sector in the future and to clarify which aspects of the operation of freezer trawlers are most important. The report can be used in discussions on changes to the fisheries management system and it will be possible to use the results of the project to assess the impact of changes in various factors. The report is not limited to freezer trawlers and can be used for comprehensive policy-making in the fisheries sector, and the results are useful to both shipowners and politicians in decision-making. The main factors that are crucial in this context concern the value of the catch, the fishermen's wages and the fishing fee. The data collected in the project have been used in recent decisions on changes in the fishing patterns of Icelandic fishing companies. This is the final report of the project "Investment management in freezer trawler operations", which was prepared in collaboration with HB Grandi with support from the AVS Fisheries Research Fund with grant S 007-12.

A total of 200 applications were received for summer jobs at Matís this summer, but it was only planned to hire eight individuals. In addition, 10 people were hired by Matís with a grant from the Student Innovation Fund. 

Therefore, there will be 18 summer employees at Matís this summer, but a total of about 30 students work for the company. 

In the past two months, Matís has advertised for five master's students to work on their final projects at Matís. The projects are carried out in collaboration with, among others, Promens, Thor Ice, the Westfjords Fisheries Cluster, Eimskip and Samskip.

Matís welcomes the interest shown by the company among students in the country's universities, as one of Matís' goals is to be a bridge between the university community and the business community. 

Do you want to work on your final project at Matís? 

Today, Friday and tomorrow Saturday, Matís employees will use remote-controlled submarines to collect samples from sponges and sea urchins in Breiðfjörður. The aim is to investigate whether it is possible to process new types of drugs from sponges and sea urchins.

Sponges are known to defend themselves with chemical warfare, so research is now aimed at examining whether this property can be used to make drugs. 7000 bioactive molecules have already been detected in sponges.

Scientists' interest in marine bioactive substances is growing at the same time as technology enables humans to study nature with even greater precision than before.

According to Ragnar Jóhannsson at Matís, who is leading the project, one of the main challenges will be to find ways to isolate a sufficient amount of bioactive substances to use in production.

Sampling from the sponges is part of two projects Bluepharmtrain and BlueGenics. Sampling from the sea urchins is part of the project ResUrch. The projects are funded by the Marie Curie EU Program and the 7th European Framework Program (FP7). The grants amount to just over ISK 80 million.

For further information Ragnar Jóhannsson.

Matís is looking for three students to work on research at the company. The projects are 60 credits and are thus used as a final project. The projects are carried out in collaboration with the largest fisheries companies in the country. There is a possibility of strength.

The projects are suitable for students in food science, chemistry and biology. The application deadline is July 14th. The projects in question are:

Maximizing the quality of frozen mackerel products:

The main goal of the project is to study the quality and stability of mackerel products in frost according to the seasons and the effects of different pre-cooling, freezing and storage conditions. Heat transfer models will be developed that can predict changes in mackerel temperature during processing, storage and transport. By looking at the interplay of these factors, it is possible to maximize the quality and utilization of mackerel and therefore at the same time its value.

A student is requested who can start work in the autumn semester of 2014.

Increased quality and stability of frozen herring products:

The main goal of the project is to maximize the homogeneous quality and value of Icelandic herring products. The quality and stability of herring products in frost according to the seasons and the effects of different precooling, freezing and storage conditions will be investigated. The results will not only lead to less quality degradation due to storage and transport, but also increase the understanding of the relationship between product defects and the effects that the raw material has from fishing and to the market.

A student is requested who can start work in the autumn semester of 2014.

Shelf life of lightly salted fillets in the freezer:

The aim of the project is to increase the value of seafood by analyzing ideal conditions for storage of lightly salted cod and saithe fillets and at the same time increase the stability of these products based on season and raw material quality. Very little research has been done on these factors and the project will therefore create important information, more stable and not least more valuable seafood.

We are looking for a student who can start in the spring semester of 2015, there is a possibility to complete the project in the summer semester.

For more information Sigurjón Arasson.

The co-operation project between the Icelandic and German governments on increasing food safety has now been completed. Food safety is a key prerequisite for food producers to be able to sell their products and participate in international trade.

Consumers, both domestic and foreign, must be able to trust that food is safe and that the government has the capacity to monitor food safety in accordance with international standards and regulations.

The bilateral project between Germany and Iceland, Safe Foods, which has contributed to increased food security in Iceland, has now been completed, but the main participants in the project were Matís, Matvælastofnun (MAST), the Ministry of Industry and Innovation, the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) in Germany.

"Our goal was to build up the administration and improve research facilities in Iceland so that all the necessary infrastructure is in place to ensure food safety in the Icelandic market. This is done to protect the health and interests of consumers in ever-expanding markets in times of increasing globalization, "said Professor Dr. dr. Andreas Hensel, President of BfR, and Professor dr. Eberhard Haunhorst, President of LAVES, at a meeting with Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, on 25 June 2014. “The Safe Food co-operation project has significantly strengthened Iceland's research capacity, which will enable us to work in accordance with European standards and regulations. This work will facilitate the export of Icelandic food on the international market. "Said Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís. "Thanks to close co-operation between the Icelandic authorities and German partners, public regulators have increased their knowledge of legislation, administration and procedures for official food control, so that we are now better equipped to ensure the interests of consumers with regard to food safety", added the director of the Food Administration. Jón Gíslason with.

The main priorities of the project were to improve the analysis of pesticide residues and other contaminants in food, such as PCBs, as well as the analysis of genetic changes in food and feed. Another important factor was the introduction of chemical analysis methods to measure algae in shellfish. To achieve these goals, first-class research equipment was purchased and installed in Matís' laboratory, as well as the staff concerned were trained in the use of the equipment and the implementation of official diagnostic methods according to European standards. Matvælastofnun and the municipal health inspectorate also received training in sampling, monitoring and interpretation of legislation in these areas. A total of 24 experts from German partner organizations came to Iceland to provide this training, in addition to which Icelandic experts will pay an introductory visit to Germany.

The project is considered to have been very successful and there is talk of a possible continuation of the co-operation that has been established between Icelandic and German institutions in the field of food safety.

For further information Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, director of Matís. 

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.

In Iceland you can find enormous resources in unspoiled and unpolluted nature that can be used for food production. The Artic Bioeconomy project, for example, worked with kelp in mayonnaise, chocolate and pasta. Berries, wild herbs, kale, carrots, rhubarb, mushrooms and birch are the mainstays of innovative foods as well as giving well-known products a new flavor.

Innovation in the food industry, where underutilized resources come into play, has been the main theme of the Artic Bioeconomy project, which ends in November. The project is part of the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Matís is leading the project, which has now launched more than 30 ideas, and new products will be presented on 25 June at a conference on the bioeconomy that will take place in Selfoss. The products are developed by small producers and individuals in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Matís has been at the forefront of those who want to take new paths in food production, and Matís' food makers have played a particularly important role in this. In addition, the company's research into bioactive substances and the enrichment of seafood has increased knowledge of how to increase the health of the food we consume. At the same time as it is important to find and utilize new resources, it is also necessary to consider whether it is possible to utilize products that are most often discarded for food production. For this purpose, for example, they worked with mutton, ribs from beef, whey and rock crab.

Beach monkeys, crab and whey

An example of new products that will be on display is Strandaber, which is a new product line that uses the main blueberry picked in Strandasýsla. Berries are pressed and used in juice and the speed is used as a raw material for boost or dried as an intermediate. No preservatives, colors or sweeteners are used. Research has shown that Icelandic blueberries contain more antioxidants than imported berries.

Another exciting food that Icelanders have not become accustomed to using is crab. Now hopefully that will change. The product in question is crab meat that has been cooked and frozen, it is mainly intended for restaurants, but the meat can be used in crab salad, crab cakes or crab burgers.

Mysuklaki with berries and herbs is also a new product that will be introduced at the conference, but its preparation is based on Icelandic tradition. The whey used is an extra product of skyr production. Mysan was the main soft drink for Icelanders in earlier centuries, but it has been reduced to new soft drinks, but in this project it is used in refreshing ice for children and adults.

You can still register for the conference.

Ocean Sampling Day (OSD) is a world event in which scientists collect samples from the ocean at the summer solstice on June 21st. These samplings will help scientists and the general public better understand how the world's oceans work and the complex ecosystems that exist there.

No fewer than 167 locations are now confirmed as sampling will take place simultaneously next week. Here you can see a list of places where participation is confirmed but samples will be taken in several places in the sea around Iceland.

More information can be found at OSD website and on blog OSD. At Matís provides Viggó Marteinsson also further information on the implementation of measurements in this country.

30 new foods will be presented at the Nordtic conference in Selfoss. The Nordic Bioeconomy, which is part of the Icelandic Government's three-year chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers, will be discussed. Innovation in the field of food production is one of the challenges of the project.

A conference on the Nordic bioeconomy will be held in Selfoss on 25 June, with the aim of finding ways to fully utilize products without depleting resources, thus reducing waste, increasing value creation and encouraging innovation.

 The results of food innovation will be presented at the conference, but earlier this year there was an advertisement for interested parties to take part in product development projects both in Iceland and in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The aim was to develop new foods or food-related products. Innovative projects of this kind strengthen regional economic growth and increase sustainability in food production.

Examples of foods that were developed in the project and can be tasted at the conference include: Ice cream from skyrmys, hand-picked Icelandic berries and wild herbs, Carrot flakes, Heilsumæjónes with omega-3 and Arctic char on feed produced with mold proteins . A total of about 30 products will be introduced from Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. 

The bioeconomy is Matís' concern, as many of the company's projects revolve around its protection and welfare. Next November, the Arctic Bioeconom project will be completed, which has mostly focused on food production innovation and thus food security in the Arctic, but together with Iceland, food production in the Faroe Islands and Greenland as well as the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland was mainly considered. Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir, Director of Business Development, is the project manager of the project. 

You can still sign up Nordtic Conference.

The program will be as follows:

• 09:15 Coffee and registration
• 10:00 Opening the conference | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture
• 10:15 No standard = no market | Dr. dr. Andreas Hensel, President at BfR
• 11:00 Product development in the Arctic Bioeconomy | Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir, Research group leader, Matís
• 11:30 Industry success stories:

1. Janus Vang, Director, iNOVA and Leif Sörensen, Chef. Faroe Islands
2. Kim Lyberth, Inuili school, Greenland
3. Ingunn Jónsdóttir, Regional Manager Matís and Valdís Magnúsdóttir, farmer and local food producer, Iceland   

• 12:00 Lunch | Special taste of innovation
• 13:30 Branding of Nordic food | Emil Bruun Blauert, CEO, Executive Advisor and Developer, WNEAT
• 13:50 Microfeed: Turning wood into food | Clas Engström, Managing Director, SP
• 14:10 Nutrition for the future - Possibilities of the Nordic areas? | Bryndís Eva Birgisdóttir, Associate Professor, University of Iceland
• 14:30 Coffee break
• 14:50 Food waste: Problem or growth opportunity? | Nils Kristian Afseth, Research Scientist, PhD, Nofima       
• 15:10 Investing in algae - Ingredients for future food production | Olavur Gregersen, Managing Director, Syntesa Partners & Associates               
• 15:30 Assessing and mitigating risk in the Nordic Bioeconomy | Guðmundur Halldórsson, Research Coordinator, Soil Conservation Service of Iceland
• 15:45 Reflection panel | Nordic and Arctic bioeconomy in local & global perspective:

1. Julian Roberts - COMSEC
2. Prof. Dr. Eberhard Haunhorst, President of Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety
3. Alda Agnes Gylfadóttir, Managing director, Einhamar Seafood
4. Sigurður Björnsson, Head of Research and Innovation, RANNÍS
5. Ásmundur Guðjónsson, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Fisheries Faroe Islands

• 16:30 End of conference

Conference facilitator: Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, Chairman of the Federation of Iceland Industries.

The conference will be held in English.

The inaugural meeting of the Icelandic case study in the MareFrame project is now a new one, but it took place on Tuesday 10 June. Matís participates in the project in collaboration with the University of Iceland and the Marine Research Institute. The European project MareFrame aims to develop a multi-stock fisheries management system based on the Icelandic model.

Dr. Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís, is the project manager for the Icelandic part of MareFrame. She says the meeting was successful and well attended.

 "The aim was to obtain the views of stakeholders on the development and formulation of the Icelandic case study on the Icelandic multi-stock fisheries management system. The MareFrame project places great emphasis on good co-operation with fishermen, fishing companies and processing companies, as well as other stakeholders involved in fisheries management, which is a key factor in the implementation of a multi-stock fisheries management system. "

 "Representatives from the main stakeholders attended the meeting, such as the National Association of Icelandic Fishermen, the National Association of Small Boat Owners, the Association of Fish Processing Plants, MSC, the Directorate of Fisheries and the Ministry of Industry and Innovation."

More collaborative meetings are planned in the project, as the emphasis is on environmentally friendly, sustainable, social and economic management. In addition, it is based on what has been done well in Icelandic fisheries management, including the use of the multi-stock model "Gadget", which was developed by Icelandic participants in the project and is widely used abroad.

The MareFrame project involves a total of 28 institutions, companies and universities in 10 European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Romania, Norway and Iceland) as well as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.