Contact
Birgir Örn Smárason
Research Group Leader
birgir@matis.is
The aim of the project is to carry out an ecological cycle analysis of Icelandic fish products obtained from the catch of selected fresh fish trawlers and trawlers. The results of the project will thus demonstrate what the carbon footprint of Icelandic seafood is, and how that footprint compares to competing products.
The project is an indirect continuation of the project Ecosystem analysis of fresh cod fillets, which ended in 2014 with a release report and promotional brochure. Previously, Matís had carried out similar ecosystem analyses 2002 and 2009. An effort must be made to include the widest possible group of tugboats in the analysis, so that it will be possible to identify the main influencing factors on the size of the carbon footprint. Part of the analysis will consist of comparing carbon footprints according to the age of the ships, i.e. special attention will be paid to comparing new fresh fish trawlers/towboats that have arrived in Iceland in recent years, and trawlers that have been obsolete in recent years. In some cases, older ships will be compared with newly built ships that have replaced them. In this way, efforts will be made to investigate whether new ships have a lower carbon footprint than older ones. The carbon footprint will also be compared with the carbon footprint of competing products, both seafood and other foods. The results will be used to prepare promotional materials that can be used in the marketing of Icelandic marine products, as well as for the publication of a peer-reviewed academic article. The product of the project will be an ecological cycle analysis made with internationally standard methods that can be used in the marketing of marine products.