The 54th WEFTA Conference, West European Fish Technologists Association, was held in Reykjavík from 12–16 October 2026. Matís hosted and organised the conference at Fosshotel Reykjavík under the theme “Bringing the blue bioeconomy forward”.
The conference brought together 88 participants from 18 countries. The scientific programme included over 60 oral presentations and around 30 posters .
The programme covered a broad range of topics related to seafood research and the blue bioeconomy, including seafood processing and quality, food safety, sustainability and resource efficiency, side-stream utilisation, micro- and macroalgae, and underused species. The keynote speakers were Johan Robbens from ILVO in Belgium, Hildur Inga Sveinsdóttir from Matís and the University of Iceland, and Sveinn Margeirsson from Brim. WEFTA has long provided an important platform for collaboration between European research institutes and universities working in seafood science and technology. The Reykjavík conference was the fifth WEFTA conference to be held in Iceland.
The conference concluded with a study tour giving participants an insight into Icelandic industry and innovation connected to fisheries and the blue bioeconomy. The group visited Vísir in Grindavík, First Water in Þorlákshöfn and VAXA Technologies, as well as the ON exhibition at Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant. Matís would like to thank Vísir, First Water and VAXA Technologies for their warm welcome and for giving participants the opportunity to learn more about their activities.
Matís would like to thank all participants, speakers and partners for contributing to a successful conference.
