Matís plays a leading role in a new and extensive multinational project that the 7th Framework Program for Research and Development in Europe (FP7) has decided to support for three years, EcoFishMan. The inaugural meeting of the project will take place at Matís on 8 and 9 March.
The EU's grant amounts to a total of EUR 3 million, equivalent to about ISK 475 million. Of this, Matís' share is a total of 450,000 or the equivalent of over ISK 70 million. That EcoFishMan The project involves a total of 13 institutions, companies and universities in eight European countries, including the University of Iceland and the University of Tromsø in Norway. Dr. Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís, is project manager and dr. Sveinn Margeirsson, Matís' CEO, will be with her on the project's scientific committee.
The European Union's Common Fisheries Policy does not deliver the desired results. Suffice it to say that close to 90% fish stocks in the jurisdiction of EU countries are overfished and a third of the stocks are in danger of extinction because they fail to regenerate. Discards are a major problem, for example it is estimated that 30-55% cod catches from the North Sea are discarded.
The European Union expects the EcoFishMan project to develop a new methodology that will be useful in changing and reforming its fisheries management system. Emphasis is placed on co-operation with fishermen, fishing and processing and on the utilization of information from electronic catch diaries. The aim of the project is to promote environmentally friendly, sustainable and economic management with a special emphasis on traceability and to minimize discards. One of the goals of the EcoFishMan project is to analyze what has been successful in Icelandic fisheries management and pass on that experience. At the same time, there are plans for more co-operation with those who work in fishing and processing in the fishing industry.
Among the Icelandic parties that will be approached for professional knowledge are Directorate of Fisheries, Association of Fish Processing Plants, National Association of Icelandic Fishermen, Marine Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, National Association of Small Boat Owners and several Icelandic companies that produce technical equipment for the fishing industry, such as Trackwell, Vaki and Marel.
For further information Sveinn Margeirsson CEO of Matís.