Tag: Value Creation

Reports

Opportunities related to biomass processing and biotechnology in the West Nordic region

Published:

06/02/2018

Authors:

Bryndís Björnsdóttir, Margrét Geirsdóttir, Elisabet Eik Guðmundsdóttir, Guðjón Þorkelsson, Rósa Jónsdóttir, Gunnar Þórðarson, René Groben, Stephen Knobloch, Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann, Janus Vang, Ingunn Gunnarsdóttir, Ragnar Jóhannsson, Lisbeth Due Schönemann-Paul, Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir

Supported by:

Nordic Council of Ministers and AG-fisk

Opportunities related to biomass processing and biotechnology in the West Nordic region / Biorefining and Biotechnology Opportunities in the West Nordic Region

The West Nordic region has great opportunities for improved utilization, sustainability and increased value of organic resources. This report identifies the main organic resources in the area that are suitable for biorefining and the use of biotechnological tools. The report describes the valuable ingredients of the area's main biological resources, as well as the processing methods that are or can be applied to them and lists various end products that can be produced by further processing. The report provides an overview of the activities currently underway and the products produced in the area through finishing and biotechnology. Organic resources are divided according to whether they are by-products, originating in water or on land, or underutilized resources. Attention is paid to special opportunities and obstacles related to the West Nordic region.

The West Nordic region holds promising opportunities to improve utilization, sustainability and value from its biological resources. The region's major bioresources available for biorefining and biotechnological applications are the focus of this report. It identifies valuable ingredients in the different resources, processing technologies which are or may be applied, and possible end products obtained from further processing the raw material. An overview of the current operations and products which are being produced within the region is given. The report divides the available bioresources into biodegradable residues of aquatic or land origin and underutilized biomass. High-north specific opportunities and obstacles are highlighted.

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Reports

Production of raw material from the North Westfjords / Production of raw material from the North Westfjords

Published:

01/10/2014

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson

Supported by:

Westfjords Growth Agreement

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

Production of raw material from the North Westfjords / Production of raw material from the North Westfjords

About 10 thousand tons of raw materials are transported from the northern Westfjords for processing elsewhere. Most of that catch is exported ungutted, so it is not only filleting processing that loses raw materials, but also parties that produce products from by-products, such as head drying and liver producers. The idea of forcing a party to gutt and possibly head catches is therefore tempting. The conclusion of this project, however, is that this is very inefficient and the overall effect will be negative. First, the gutting coefficients in the Westfjords are such that fishing companies would lose quotas with a gutting obligation. Secondly, buyers in the south of the country, who process fresh fish for flight, are willing to pay an additional 20 ISK / kg for fish that reaches trucks that leave at 15:00 according to schedule. If fish are gutted after landing, it is impossible to bring them catch for this transport and that fish will wait for transport until the next day. Fish that goes directly for transport has arrived at a processing house in the southwest area at about 04:00 and has been gutted for processing starting at 07:00. The fish is then ready for flight, which in some cases leaves around Keflavík Stadium around noon. This is therefore an economical arrangement that maximizes value creation in the fisheries sector in Iceland.

About 10 thousand tons of whole round fish are trucked from northern Westfjords to fish processors in south / west region of Iceland. Most of the fish is exported un ‐ gutted and therefore it is not just the filleting factories missing raw materials, but also those producing side product like cod heads drying and liver canning. The concept idea of this project was to force vessels owners and fish markets to head and gut the fish before trucing and looked like a tempting idea. However, the outcome of this work is that this would be inefficient and the overall effect will be negative. Firstly, the gutting standard given by the Icelandic authority is 16% but the average radio in Westfjords is only 12%, so the vessel owners would lose the difference in quota. Secondly the customers in the south / west are willing to pay extra 20 kr / kg for fish reaching the scheduled truck leaving the area at 15:00. If the fish would be headed or / and gutted it would not be ready for trucking, and be leaving the day after. Fish going straight from vessel at the harbor for trucking will be delivered in a fish plant in the south west at around 04:00 following morning. It will be ready for filleting at 07:00 and can be exported by airfreight around noon. Here is an advantageous arrangement case that maximizes value for the fisheriesin Iceland.

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Reports

Investment management in freezer trawler operations

Published:

01/05/2014

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson, Arnljótur B. Bergsson, Gísli Eyland, Jónas R. Viðarsson, Sigurjón Arason, Sindri Magnason

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund. Reference No .: S 12 007‐12

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

Investment management in freezer trawler operations

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 there are only 23 and the number is decreasing. The reasons for the declining share of freezer vessels in the cod fishery can be traced to higher oil prices, but the energy cost of freezing at sea is much higher than comparable costs on land, higher labor costs for processing at sea than on land and changes in marketing where fresh fish has recently returned one of the greatest value creation in the Icelandic fishing industry. The most important operating aspects of freezer trawlers today are catch quotas, catch value, fishermen's wages, oil prices and fishing fees. The imposition of fishing fees has created 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 necessary for Icelanders, and although their share of cod and haddock has decreased, it will still be economical to fish other species with processing vessels. Species such as redfish and halibut are well suited for processing such as this, and distant targets will hardly be retrieved except with freezer trawlers.

Significant changes have occurred in operation of freezing trawlers in Iceland since it began in the early eighties. Its share in the most important stock, the cod, has declined significantly and today cod is only caught as by ‐ catch with other species. The main species caught by and processed on ‐ board freezing trawlers today are; redfish, saithe and Greenland halibut. In 1992 the number of freezing trawlers peaked in the Icelandic fishing fleet, with 35 vessel, but has declined to 23 today. Reasons for the reduction are mainly higher oil prices, higher energy cost of freezing at sea than onshore, relatively higher salaries of processing offshore and changes on markets where fresh fish portions have recently delivered better value than see ‐ frozen fillets in the Icelandic fishing industry. The most important operating parameters for freezing trawlers are quotas, catch value, crew remuneration, fuel cost and fishing fee. Imposition of fishing fees in Iceland have caused uncertainty and reduced profitability of freezing trawlers and prevented capitalization in the industry, along with crew salary ‐ systems that do not encourage investment in technology or product development. Freezing trawlers are necessary in Icelandic fish industry, though their share of the cod and haddock have declined it remains profitable to catch other types of species, such as redfish and Greenland halibut and these vessels are vital for the Icelandic deep sea fishing around Iceland and in the Barents see.

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Reports

Prepared dishes from salted fish

Published:

31/10/2012

Authors:

Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, Jón Trausti Kárason

Supported by:

The AVS Fund

Prepared dishes from salted fish

The aim of the project was to develop ready-made salted fish dishes and salted fish buns. By using, among other things, unused raw materials such as cuttings, increased value can be created from seafood. The aim was to sell these products in the Nordic countries, the Spanish market and in Iceland. Ektafiskur has a traditional production of salted fish and no additives are used in the production. Saltfish is a well-known product in Spain and the Nordic countries, and Ektafisk's current products have been well received in both Spain and Iceland. In order to maintain and / or increase its market share, it is necessary for the company to further develop its product line in line with today's consumer demands. Developments in salted fish products have led to greater convenience for consumers in line with changes in lifestyles in recent decades.

The aim of the project was to develop pre-made salt-cod dishes and fishcakes. By using un-utilized raw materials like cut-offs added value can be created. The goal was to market the products developed in this project in the Nordic countries, Spain and in Iceland. Ektafiskur produces traditional salted cod and do not use any additives. Salted cod is a known product in Spain as well as in the Nordic countries. The products from Ektafiskur have been well received both in Spain and Iceland. To maintain and / or increase its market size it is essential that Ektafiskur continue to develop new products with consumer demand in mind. The development of salted cod products has been increasingly towards consumer comfort and changes in life patterns in the last decades.

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Reports

Improved utilization of marine catch

Published:

01/02/2010

Authors:

Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, Sveinn Margeirsson, Sigurjón Arason, Jónas R. Viðarsson

Supported by:

Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Improved utilization of marine catch

This report is prepared for the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture; and it is mainly intended as a contribution to the Ministry's work in reviewing the policy regarding the utilization of marine catch. The content of the report can be divided into two main components, i.e. in the first part, a status assessment is made of the utilization and value creation of cod catches with regard to sea freezing, land processing and container exports; but in the second part, an attempt is made to identify where the main opportunities are for improved utilization and increased value creation in the Icelandic catfish catch. When collecting data, the main catch and disposal reports of the Directorate of Fisheries and Statistics Iceland's export data for the years 2007 and 2008 were sought. however, the authors of the report recommend that this be done as soon as all the data is available. In 2008, Icelandic vessels caught about 151 thousand tonnes of cod (127 thousand tonnes gutted) from which 90 thousand tonnes of products were processed to a value of ISK 59.5 billion (fob). About 75% of the catch went to land processing, 20% was frozen at sea and over 5% was exported unprocessed in containers. The data show that there was a significant difference between utilization figures in land and sea production, i.e. fillet utilization, head utilization and utilization of by-products were significantly poorer in the freezer trawler fleet. Roughly estimated utilization in land processing was about 72% (mass ratio of raw materials and products compared to gutted) versus 44% in sea freezing. There may be various reasons for the fact that the utilization of catch from freezer vessels is much poorer than in land-based processing, but it is clear that there are significant opportunities to increase utilization of the freezer trawler fleet. As an example of where utilization could be increased, it can be mentioned, for example, that the head utilization of fillet freezer trawlers is generally 35.5%, while in fillet processing on land it is 22-30%; and the overwhelming majority of trawlers are also unable to bring their heads ashore. There are also various indications that it would be possible to bring more other by-products into the country than is currently the case, such as cuttings, marrow, liver, eggs, eggs, etc. Much has been achieved regarding utilization in land processing in recent months, but there are still opportunities for improvement. The greatest progress in improved utilization has taken place in the processing of cod products, but the utilization of by-products in the processing of other species has not been able to keep up, as most of the cod is being slaughtered. For example, there has been a satisfactory development in the last three years in liver canning, which has doubled in volume since 2006-2009. A large amount of fish is exported unprocessed in containers every year, but high fish prices in the markets in the UK and Germany mean that shipowners see greater hope of profit in sending the fish out of the country than selling it for domestic processing. It is possible to increase the export value of part of this catch by processing it here at home. Although improved utilization is important, it must not be forgotten that quantity and quality do not always go hand in hand, so it is no less important to maximize the proportion of products that go into the most expensive product categories. In order for this to be the case, proper handling and process management must be ensured throughout the entire value chain, as quality is maximized at all stages of fishing, processing and transport.

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