It is important to respect nature by utilizing wild species in a sustainable way. It is sensible to respect the raw material by utilizing what is extracted from the sea, making the most of the catch. Society is also respected by making the most of what is taken for processing.
The utilization of the fish caught has long been discussed. The emphasis has been on quality and the emphasis on quantity has diminished. Responsible management of marine resources has far-reaching positive consequences. Icelanders' access to marine resources has improved significantly and is now considered a model. Efforts are being made to handle Icelandic seafood.
Matís has, along Association of companies in the fishing industry (SFS), Hampidjan and Marel, be an active participant in DiscardLess the project led by the Danish University of Technology DTU from the beginning (March 2015). The project is intended to facilitate the implementation of the discard ban that is being implemented within the European fishing fleet. European leaders and other stakeholders look to Iceland and other countries that have experience of working under a ban on eviction, and therefore Iceland's contribution is important in the project, in addition to which Matís leads one work package and has a key role in several other work packages.
Among the measures taken by the Icelandic government with a view to curbing discards are flexibility in the transfer of catch quotas, the authorization to land by-catches outside catch quotas where the majority of catch value goes to the Fisheries Project Fund, rules on the proportion of heads of land processed by vessels in accordance with the cargo space of the popular vessels, such as the rules for landing grayling and obligations on the landing of cod liver, saithe, ling, anglerfish and anglerfish as well as cod and saithe roe (for grayling fishing). Increased emphasis on the utilization of catch for value creation has led to liver being taken into account when dividing catch value according to Art. share exchange system.
From March 6 to 10, the annual meeting of the DiscardLess project took place in Rome. The meeting in Rome was second annual meeting in DiscardLess and he marks that the project is now half over. From Matís, Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson and Kristinn Ólafsson took part in the meeting, which was considered to be extremely successful. The meeting was held at headquarters FAO and was attended by 60 participants and about 50 stakeholders who were involved in the meeting agenda in various ways. Iceland had its representative in the group of stakeholders, Kristján Þórarinsson from SFS, who represented the Icelandic fishing industry at the meeting and spoke on behalf of fishing companies that have operated under a discard ban for more than three decades. Kristján gave an interesting speech that attracted a lot of attention, where he explained the effects of the discard ban on the Icelandic fishing industry. What about a somewhat different tone than had been heard from his colleagues in Europe, who had complained a lot about the ban. Kristján argued that the ban was a great step forward for the Icelandic fishing industry and that it was in fact the duty of those who are trusted with natural resources to take good care of it.
Jónas went over some of the most important points that can be learned from the Icelanders' experience of the discard ban, almost four decades of tireless efforts to improve access to marine resources and increased sustainability. Jónas focused on the issues that are easily transferable and can be utilized in diverse fisheries across the coasts of European countries. Jónas also showed the development that has taken place off the coast of Iceland in the case of haddock. As well as proposals for improved facilities on board fishing vessels in the Bay of Biscay so that crews can make the catch and bring all the catch ashore.
Here is a very short video that refers to Icelanders' utilization of marine resources.
For further information Jónas R. Viðarsson professional leader in the Safe Food Chain.