IFIM

IcelandIc FIshIng Industry MagazIne

1st edIton ap rIl 201 3 www.IFI M.Is

14» new adventures at Maritec/wiseSpringtime is full of adventures and great opportunities.

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» efficiency and energy saving It is possible to achieve a significant increase in efficiency by using steerable trawl doors where the flow of water through the doors is controlled.

» the Iceland ocean cluster The Iceland Ocean Clus-ter is a phenomenon that despite its short existence has already made quite an impact on the Icelan-dic fishing industry and related sectors.

» Icelandic fishing industy, a important foundation

in the Icelandic economyThe fisheries sector has been one of the mainstays of the Icelandic

economy for decades.

» the export value of cod has multipliedIn 1981 Icelandic fishing vessels caught 460,579 tons of cod. Export value for that year was just under ISK 1 billion at prices for that time, which is almost ISK 36 billion at current value.

22» ensuring the freshness of fishEnsuring the freshness of fresh fish from catch to market, and by that securing extended shelf life, is simply what Thor Ice ltd. is all about.

2 IFI M AprIl 2 013

contents

www.ifim.isC o n t a c t i n f o r m a t i o n : + 0 03 5 4 4 45 - 9 0 0 0 o r i n f o @ i f i m . i s

I C E l A n d I C F I S h I n g I n d u S T r y M A g A z I n E

3 AprIl 2 013 IFI M

a Messagefrom

the president of IcelandÓlafur ragnar grimsson

The future of the world’s oceans will be determined by our vision of sustainability and how we succeed in employing green technologies in the utilization of marine resources.

The success of the Icelandic fishing sector, the evolution from coastal fisheries to the advanced high-tech fishing industry of today, has been founded upon an abiding respect for the health of fish stocks. In the wake of the financial crisis, the country is on its way to recovery, helped in large measure by the strength of our fishing and fish-processing

companies, which are major pillars of our long-term economic strength.

The Icelandic seafood industry has also been a fertile incubator for the development of many high-tech and IT products, enabling start-up companies to test and develop their innovations and consequently grow into global players. This nexus has expanded the

significance of the fishing industry to Iceland’s 21st century technology sector and also provides instruments for the implementation of responsible management policies.

At the World Economic Forum in davos earlier this year I was privileged to share the les-sons we have learned with global leaders and prominent experts from many countries

and international organizations. Iceland’s experience is increasingly serving as a point of reference in the world-wide dialogue on the future of the oceans.

The participation by Icelandic companies and institutions in the European Seafood Ex-position and Seafood processing Europe in Brussels sends a strong message of our com-mitment to sustainability and green technology. It is also a clear expression of our desire to encourage others to preserve and respect marine resources, and of our belief that this

will enable the fishing sector to bring prosperity to the peoples of every continent.

sustaInaBIlIty – green technology

BergenNorway

MaaloyNorway

AalesundNorway

TromsøNorway

HammerfestNorway Båtsord

Norway

MurmanskRussia

KirkenesNorway

StavangerNorway

NuukGreenland

ArgentiaNL, Canada

HalifaxNS, Canada

PortlandMaine, United States

St. AnthonyNL, Canada

BostonMA, United States

SortlandNorway

AarhusDenmark

HelsingborgSweden

SwinoujsciePoland

FredrikstadNorway

NordordurIceland

HusavikIceland

GrimsbyEngland

ScotlandAberdeen

SaudarkrokurIceland

AkureyriIceland

GrundarordurIceland

IsaordurIceland

ReydarordurIceland

TORSHAVNFaroe Islands

VagurFaroe Islands

Vestmann IslandsIceland

HamburgGermany

ROTTERDAMThe Netherlands

REYKJAVIKIceland

VelsenThe Netherlands

ImminghamEngland

KlaksvikFaroe Islands

GrundartangiIceland

new improved sailing schedule

Weekly domestic coastal sailings with direct connections to the UK and mainland Europe.

Fresh fish transported weekly from Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

Increased services for the fish and oil industry with sailings to and from Scotland.

Increased frequency and shorter transit time to and from the USA.

New port in the USA, Portland, Maine.

Possible stops in Isa�ordur and Akureyri on the way from Norway.

New stops in Vágar, the Faroe Islands and Hamburg, Germany.

Korngardar 2 | 104 Reykjavik | Tel. +354 525 7000 | www.eimskip.com

optional port / seasonal route

port

transit hub

major transit hub

brown lineRussia, Norway, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Norway

green lineNorway, Iceland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, United States, Newfoundland, Iceland

blue line Iceland, Faroe Islands, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Iceland

red lineIceland, Faroe Islands, Scotland, The Netherlands, Iceland

yellow lineIceland, Faroe Islands, England, The Netherlands, Germany, England, Iceland

BergenNorway

MaaloyNorway

AalesundNorway

TromsøNorway

HammerfestNorway Båtsord

Norway

MurmanskRussia

KirkenesNorway

StavangerNorway

NuukGreenland

ArgentiaNL, Canada

HalifaxNS, Canada

PortlandMaine, United States

St. AnthonyNL, Canada

BostonMA, United States

SortlandNorway

AarhusDenmark

HelsingborgSweden

SwinoujsciePoland

FredrikstadNorway

NordordurIceland

HusavikIceland

GrimsbyEngland

ScotlandAberdeen

SaudarkrokurIceland

AkureyriIceland

GrundarordurIceland

IsaordurIceland

ReydarordurIceland

TORSHAVNFaroe Islands

VagurFaroe Islands

Vestmann IslandsIceland

HamburgGermany

ROTTERDAMThe Netherlands

REYKJAVIKIceland

VelsenThe Netherlands

ImminghamEngland

KlaksvikFaroe Islands

GrundartangiIceland

new improved sailing schedule

Weekly domestic coastal sailings with direct connections to the UK and mainland Europe.

Fresh fish transported weekly from Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

Increased services for the fish and oil industry with sailings to and from Scotland.

Increased frequency and shorter transit time to and from the USA.

New port in the USA, Portland, Maine.

Possible stops in Isa�ordur and Akureyri on the way from Norway.

New stops in Vágar, the Faroe Islands and Hamburg, Germany.

Korngardar 2 | 104 Reykjavik | Tel. +354 525 7000 | www.eimskip.com

optional port / seasonal route

port

transit hub

major transit hub

brown lineRussia, Norway, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Norway

green lineNorway, Iceland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, United States, Newfoundland, Iceland

blue line Iceland, Faroe Islands, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Iceland

red lineIceland, Faroe Islands, Scotland, The Netherlands, Iceland

yellow lineIceland, Faroe Islands, England, The Netherlands, Germany, England, Iceland

6 IFI M AprIl 2 013

t is possible to achieve a significant increase in efficiency by us-ing steerable trawl doors where the flow of water through the doors is controlled. The trawl doors are fitted with steerable “wings” and by closing them the spreading increases and con-versely decreases when there is an increase in flow of water through the doors, when the wings are open. It is also possible to control the depth of the doors in the sea. This was shown in a trip with the ocean research vessel Árni Friðriksson this month. These are the poseidon remote Controllable Trawl doors from the company polar doors.

during the tests, the motors that control the doors were pro-grammed to change the settings of the wings after a given period of trawling, using a number of variables. A monitor on the ship’s bridge showed the changes and the effects they had, using door sensors from Scanmar. The monitor showed the distance be-tween the doors, the depth in the sea, the spread angle and how the ship’s fuel consumption changed depending on how wide the spread was. The plan for the future is to control the doors remote-ly from the ship’s bridge, which can also be done with a cable.

Árni Friðriksson is fitted with Maren, an energy control system from Marorka, which gives good information on the ship’s use of energy. With the trawl door wings half closed and a distance of 70 m between the doors, the load on the propeller motor was 510 kW and fuel consumption 165 l per hour. This went down to 154 l per hour and 455 kW on the propeller motor when the wings were fully open and with a distance of 55 m between the doors. This indicates that energy consumption is 7% less with reduced spreading.

Atli Jósafatsson, the owner and CEO of pólar, is very pleased with these results. “now it’s established that it’s possible to save considerable energy when using the doors by reducing their resistance in the sea, for example when making a turn while trawling. The same applies when wide spreading is not required when fishing. These doors also enable better control of positioning and spread of the trawl in the sea, which enhances its fishing capabilities. It must be seen as very significant gain

when enhanced fishing capabilities and energy saving go hand-in-hand.

he says that he is aware of great interest in this innovation among captains and that it would be fair to call it a revolution. The interest is mainly coming from captains of large pelagic trawlers, but this new technology can equally be used for bottom trawling.

The doors are to be subjected to further tests, again on the re-search ship Árni Friðriksson and on one or two smaller trawlers, and then the plan is to construct a larger pair which will be tested on one of the Samherji ships. The manufacturers hope that they will be in general use next year.

“We strongly believe that steerable trawl doors will bring great improvements, with increased fishing capability of the trawl, fi-nancial efficiency because of increased fishing and reduced en-ergy costs and also because of the environmentally friendly im-pact,” says Atli. n

Efficiency and energy saving

I

T E C H N O L O G Y

Pantone 295

Pantone 877 Silfur

30 % svartur

b e c a u s e q u a l i t y m a t t e r sP l e a s e V i s i t u s i n H a l l 4 / n r. 6 1 27 – 1

8 IFI M AprIl 2 013

There are many factors that have created results

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10 IFI M AprIl 2 013

here are certainly many factors involved when assessing what has had the most influence on improved treatment of fisheries catches and the processing,” says Sigurjón Arason. “One could possibly first mention the stern trawlers and conversion to the use of boxes which started around 1970. It was a great improve-ment to be able to land the fish from the holds and ice it in box-es, but the disadvantage was that the boxes were rather small, taking only 50 kg and not long enough for larger fish. When I returned to the country in 1978 after studying abroad, one of the first tasks I was given was to have a look at the boxes and see what could be done with them. I started to consider tubs, which were larger and were better for the fish. This idea was devel-oped in cooperation with many others, and the result was the tubs that we are using today. The size first developed was up to 660 litre capacity. They were 66 cm deep, because according to the regulation for fish in containers, a fish layer could not be thicker than 60 cm and the additional 6 cm was for ice. Sub-sequently, the tubs were redesigned to accommodate the fish more efficiently and the company Sæplast was an innovator in the manufacture of tubs.

It was in fact a very fortunate decision to start using these tubs, among other things because they enabled faster landing from the ships, and not least because we didn’t have to de-head the fish at sea so that they would fit more easily into the boxes, like the norwegians do. using that method the fish heads are not brought to land , which is a great waste of raw material. In addition to this, the fish become less valuable after de-heading before rigor mortis because blood fluid then gets into the nape. This means that the forward part of the nape cannot be used in processing which means less utilisation. The fish head and this forward part of the nape are very important for productivity and in addition to this saltfish will be much more attractive and bet-ter when the fish is de-headed after rigor mortis.

The introduction of tubs was very important in its day, but now in more recent times the tubs are smaller and only take about 300 kg of fish which results in better treatment of raw material. Improved facilities on fishing vessels processing decks are also extremely important. Better facilities for process-ing and good bleeding before the fish is iced and cooled is the key to good results,” says Sigurjón.

T

Polar doors open to success

www.polardoors.com

2011

77%

23%

1981

75%

25%

Other products

Other products

Frozen fillets and whole frozen cold

Frozen fillets and whole frozen cold

11 AprIl 2 013 IFI M

Vísir hf. • Hafnargötu 16 • 240 Grindavík • Iceland • Phone: +354 420 5700 • Fax: +354 426 8176 • [email protected] • www.visirhf.is

Fishing in Harmony with Nature

We are looking forward to see you in Brussels, Hall 6, Stand 839-4

The export value of cod was 120% more for the 2011 catch than for the catch of the whole year of 1981 - despite the fact that the 2011 catch was only 40% of the catch of 1981.

In 1981 Icelandic fishing vessels caught 460,579 tons of cod. Export value for that year was just under ISK 1 billion at prices for that time, which is almost ISK 36 billion at current value. In 2011, 30 years later, the cod catch was 182,034 tons. Export value for 2011 exceeded ISK 82 billion which is more than 120% higher than 1981. The exchange rate of the ISK against currencies of countries that Iceland exports to is obviously a factor in this development so it is best to look at export value in foreign currency. Export value of cod in 1981 was uSd 135 million which is equivalent to just under uSd 340 million cur-rent value. So, regardless of how one looks at the matter the catch has di-minished by 60%, while export value has doubled.

What is the reason for this? When one examines the matter in more de-tail one can see that all frozen fish and frozen fillets were about 75% of all cod products in 1981, while 30 years later these products are less than a quarter of catch value. Each cod is used more efficiently now than before, processing is more varied and utilisation of the raw material has radically changed and is much better than it was before. There is also no doubt that increased emphasis on the market and on technology have been sig-nificant factors in bringing about these changes.

“In short, the modernisation of the industry has played the largest role in increased export value. Cuts in quotas have certainly provided an incentive to uti-lise the catch more efficiently, when emphases in pro-

duction were more about quality than quantity,” says haukur Már gestsson, economist at Iceland Ocean Cluster, who pro-

vided the calculations for Útvegsblaðið on which this article is based.he says that fish processors started to utilise the raw materials more ef-

ficiently and value was generated from parts that were previously thrown away. “Today the export value of each kilo of cod in Iceland is consider-ably higher than in other countries and the variety and quality of products mean that fluctuations in world market prices generally have less impact here than elsewhere,” says haukur Már.

Sigurjón Arason is a senior engineer at Matís. he says that techno-logical innovation in fish processing, improved treatment of catches on board in better vessels and new approaches to fishing, subsequent to the introduction of the quota system, were the main factors governing hugely increased export value of Icelandic fish products. new market awareness, advances in new markets with new products and full utili-sation of the fish brought to port are also highly significant. Changes that had very significant impact on success in the value chain were the lifting of export restrictions, the fisheries management system and the opening of fish markets in Iceland. n

The export value of cod has multiplied despite significantly smaller catches


» Increased education in the trade Sigurjón says that increased education in fisheries is also a sig-nificant factor in the results that have been achieved: “The edu-cation input into the industry has increased significantly with the advent of fisheries studies at the university of Akureyri. It has been a huge boost for fisheries. The courses constitute cross discipline studies for fisheries. Students who have qualified from this course of studies are working in many branches of the fisheries industry and are making valuable contributions. The university of Iceland has also had courses of study that directly relate to fisheries, Fisheries Technology 1 and 2 in the Indus-trial and Mechanical Engineering department, and the advent of food science in the university of Iceland just before 1980 represented a major step forward and this discipline has since proved extremely valuable for fisheries and other food industry. The level of education of employees in fisheries has increased significantly as is appropriate because fisheries is a high-tech-nology food industry which must develop its quality image and ensure that it delivers only high quality and sought-after prod-ucts to the market.

Students are now working on two masters projects on auto-matic plate freezers for the fisheries company Skaginn. There is also one doctoral student and two masters students working on mackerel. This means that we are in the melting pot. We have very close cooperation with most of the country’s fisheries com-panies and a significant part of our work involves processing queries from them. One doesn’t always have the right answer, but we can find it, and we often use students to work on solu-tions before we make a decision. We have had about 20 doctoral students working with us in quick succession in disciplines that all relate to fisheries. now there are two students starting a course of studies and one just about to complete. There is now

a major educational input into the sector and the revolutionary development may be that postgraduate studies are now a ma-jor component. Masters students have in a way cleared the way for us in the sense that management at Matís has been able to concentrate on assisting fisheries companies, while the projects that we had in mind, but could not find time to implement are being carried out by the students. looking back in time I think there have been about 40 to 50 Masters students and here from Matís, we have provided 15 to 20 doctorates, many of whom I have tutored. now one can see these people working in a vari-ety of places in the sector and making a very valuable contribu-tions,“ says Sigurjón Arason.

» looking to the futureOne of the leaders in the field of full processing is Einar lárus-son, who started working in fisheries four decades ago. his ob-jective and that of many others is to increase the value of fisher-ies products.

The aim is to maximise utilisation of the fish and to continue development of existing capabilities. There is a continuous pro-cess of experimentation to find better tools to increase utilisa-tion of the fish. When processing cod, everything is used. We use the trimmings, the head, cheeks, backbone, roe, guts and skin. The backbones are variously dried or used to manufacture proteins which will be used to make tofu or food supplements for bodybuilding. We can also use it in bread and we made a project with a well-known TV chef, Jói Fel, where protein is add-ed to bread and crispbread as an energy booster. It is then for the market to decide which application succeeds. If we achieve good results with the protein meal this will heighten our inter-est in becoming involved in the production of more substances. We are still discovering processing methods for this purpose. n


Overall global capture fisheries production, as derived from the FAO capture database, continues to remain stable. This does not mean that there are no changes in catch trends by country, fishing area or spe-cies, which indeed do vary significantly throughout the years, but rat-her that the summation of all the annual fluctuations has been close to zero in recent years, according to the FAO’s “The State of World Fis-heries and Aquaculture 2012”.

To analyse trends, global production can be separated into three major components: marine catches excluding anchoveta (Engraulis ringens); anchoveta catches; and inland water catches (Figure 4). In the last seven years (2004–2010) for which detailed catch statistics are available, absolute variations in comparison with the previous year of total marine catches excluding anchoveta never exceeded 1.2 percent, ranging between 72.1 and 73.3 million tonnes. however, anchoveta catches decreased from 10.7 million tonnes in 2004 to 4.2 million tonnes in 2010, and the variation on the previous year excee-ded 30 percent in two cases. In the same period, inland water capture production grew continuously, with an overall increase of 2.6 million tonnes.

» 90 million tonnes in 2011Other preliminary reports from important fishing countries (e.g. the russian Federation) show that 2011 should have been a year of increa-sed catches. however, Japanese fishery production will probably have dropped significantly as the five prefectures hit by the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011 accounted for about 21 percent of Japan’s to-tal marine fisheries and aquaculture production. Overall, preliminary information suggests that the total 2011 global catch should exceed 90 million tonnes, marking a return to 2006–07 levels.

» china still on topWith the great decrease in anchoveta catches, peru is no longer se-cond after China in the ranking of the major marine producer count-ries in terms of quantity as it has been surpassed by Indonesia and the united States of America. Some major Asian fishing countries (i.e. China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Viet nam) reported significant increases in 2010, but also other countries (i.e. norway, the russian

Federation and Spain) fishing in other areas and with more robust data collection systems showed growing catches after some years of sluggish production.

In particular, catches reported by the russian Federation have grown by more than one million tonnes since the low point of 2004. According to the authorities of the russian Federation, the recent increase is also a consequence of the management decision to remove excessive formalities on documentation of landing operations, as up until early 2010 landings by vessels of the russian Federation in na-tional ports were treated as imports. Moreover, an official forecast of the russian Federation indicates further catch increases to a level of 6 million tonnes in 2020, representing an increase of more than 40 per-cent above present levels.

Besides decreased production by peru and Chile as a consequence of the drop in anchoveta catches, other major fishing countries with downward trends in total marine catches in 2009 and 2010 were: Jap-an, the republic of Korea, and Thailand in Asia; Argentina, Canada and Mexico in the Americas; Iceland in Europe; and to a lesser extent new zealand. despite variable trends, Morocco, South Africa and Senegal maintained their positions as the three major marine produ-cers in Africa.

» atlantic cod is recoveringIn the list of top ten species, the most evident change is the disappear-ance from the list of the Chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi), which had been sixth in 2008. This species is a transboundary resource with a very wide distribution in the South pacific, ranging from the national EEzs to the high seas. After having peaked at about 5 million tonnes in the mid-1990s, catches were about 2 million tonnes in the mid- 2000s but have since declined abruptly, and the 2010 catches were 0.7 million tonnes, the lowest level since 1976. Atlantic cod (gadus mor-hua) has returned to the list, with a total increase of almost 200 000 tonnes in the last two years to rank tenth in 2010, a position not reached since 1998. In fact, in 2010, the whole group of gadiform species (cods, hakes, haddocks, etc.) reversed the negative trend of the previous three years in which it had declined by 2 million tonnes. preliminary data for this group also report growing catches for 2011. n

global fisheries production remains stable


he biggest news from Maritech ehf. is that the company is cur-rently being rebranded and has now changed its name from Mari-tech ehf. to Wise ehf.

The daily business will remain the same but this is being done to strengthen the Wise brand name and to more closely align with our subsidiary company, Wisedynamics in halifax, Canada.

The company has been using the Wise brand name for several years for Wise Analyzer, a data analytical tool and WiseFish, a seafood software solution. now the whole product line is com-bined under the Wise name.

WiseFish nAV2013 was recently certified for Microsoft dynam-ics (CfMd). This outstanding achievement means that WiseFish has met Microsoft Corporation’s highest standard for partner de-veloped software solutions.

Wise has also put a lot of effort into developing and improv-ing the Wise BI solutions and has recently released a new version 4.0. of Wise Analyzer, analytical tool, which is now available for trial and upgrades.

Wise attends numerous conferences and exhibitions world-wide each year, both to gather knowledge and to present their Business-, Seafood and BI solutions.

» wise analyzer- new version 4.0

The new version of the Wise Analyzer analytical tool, one of Wise’s most popular solutions, is now available.

The development of the new version was focused specifically on making the solution stronger, faster and more user friendly.

Wise Analyzer 4.0 provides an array of features to monitor and analyze information for managers in real time, in a true business intelligence environment. Wise Analyzer is designed specifically for processing and dissemination of valuable information, both directly from dynamics nAV/AX SQl database and from OlAp Cubes.

Wise Analyzer works with newer versions of Microsoft dynam-ics nAV and Microsoft dynamics AX on SQl server.

An upgrade and a free trial is available at the company web-sites www.wisedynamics.com and www.wise.is.

new functionality and features include:• Visual Query Builder for ad hoc reporting• report Builder with pre-defined templates• Faster engine and improved interface• More powerful and user friendly pivot grid tables• Easier and more flexible ways to filter data• More powerful graphics

For further information contact Wise’s sales department, [email protected]

new adventures at Maritech / Wise- a new company name and certified solutions

Tspringtime is full of adventures and great opportunities.

Jon heidar palsson, Vp sales- & marketing.

» wiseFish - Certified for Microsoft Dynamics

(CfMD)WiseFish, now Certified for Microsoft dy-namics, is a tailored Erp solution, built upon dynamics nAV and developed to meet the needs of the seafood industry.

On the 13th of March, 2013, WiseFish nAV2013 was certified for Microsoft dy-namics nAV. This outstanding achieve-ment means that WiseFish has met Micro-soft Corporation’s highest standards for partner developed software solutions. So-lutions that are certified for Microsoft dy-namics have demonstrated development quality and compatibility with Microsoft dynamics products.

VeriTest, a service of lionbridge, per-formed independent and rigorous testing on the solution’s integration with the newest ver-sion of Microsoft dynamics nAV.

In order to ensure quality customer service, partners who are authorized to sell the certified solutions must be enrolled in a Microsoft partner Service plan and have earned the gold Certified partner status within the Microsoft partner program. They also need to have customers who have been successfully using the certified solution and are willing to recommend it. Wise ehf. with the Wise-Fish solution, fulfilled all the criteria.

“We are thrilled to get this acknowledgement. This is a great opportunity for us to introduce WiseFish better to the world as a Microsoft certified solution for the seafood industry.” says Jon heidar palsson, Vp Sales- & marketing.

Offering a comprehensive set of industry specific functional-ities, WiseFish covers the whole seafood value chain from fishing and aquaculture through production to sales and distribution. Whether your company is involved in every step of the seafood value chain, specialized in particular steps, or a combination of both, WiseFish is suitable for all types and sizes of seafood busi-nesses.

WiseFish combines the power and reliability of a world class accounting and Erp system with an out of the box seafood solu-tion, custom built for your industry. Manage your g/l, accounts receivable/payable and product costing at the point of transac-tion to ensure reliability and ease of data entry.

• Built for Microsoft dynamics nAV2013 • Based on 20 years of development and experienced seafood experts • references include some of the biggest seafood companies in the world

• Sold worldwide in local versions/supported by partners where needed • Connections to Marel, Innova system• Connects with new product Wise peripherals• hand held solutions for Smart-phones and tablets• new Wise Analyzer plugins and OlAp Cubes

WiseFish integrates production planning, quality control, productivity calculations, and inventory management as well as offering com-plete product traceability.

» events & exhibitions Wise attends numerous conferences and ex-hibitions worldwide each year, both to gather knowledge and to present their core solutions.

Find us at: • north Atlantic Fish Fair, Faroe Islands,

April 9th- 11th. Visit us at booth B-176 for a demo and

further information. • European Seafood Exposition, Brussels, April 23rd-25th. Visit us at booth 6127-2, hall 4, for a demo and further information.

» about usWise ehf. is an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) for Microsoft dy-namics nAV and a Microsoft gold partner. Founded in 1995, Wise has become one of the largest resellers of dynamics nAV in Iceland, offer-ing a wide range of business solutions for the international markets.

Wise employs a group of 80 ambitious consultants and developers and has close to 500 customers worldwide e.g. hB grandi, Sanford, Securitas, CCp, Ossur International, Tassal etc.

Wise solutions combine the best of standard Microsoft dynam-ics nAV with specialty add-on solutions. under the Wisedynamics umbrella is a wide range of solutions that offer seafood industry-fo-cused packages, business intelligence solutions and analytical tools.

The Wisedynamics family can be used together for a powerful, complete solution or individually to meet specific needs.

Smart solutions - that give you a competitive edge in business. For further information please contact: Jon heidar palsson, Vp Sales- & Marketing, [email protected] , mobile: +354 821 3282. n

Visit our websites:www.wisedynamics.comwww.wise.iswww.wisefish.com

www.wisefish.com

FIND US AT BOOTH

B-176NORTH ATLANTIC

FISH FAIRFAROE ISLANDS

APRIL 9TH - 11TH

FIND US AT BOOTH

6127-2HALL 4

EUROPEAN SEAFOODEXPOSITION, BRUSSEL

APRIL 23RD - 25TH


he Iceland Ocean Cluster is a phenomenon that despite its short existence has already made quite an impact on the Icelandic fish-ing industry and related sectors. It started as a research project in the university of Iceland in the spring of 2010 but quickly escalat-ed into an organization with partner firms consisting of most of the major players in the ocean cluster in Iceland.

The goal of the I.O.C. is to increase the value of the compa-nies operating in the cluster by discovering new opportunities and boosting innovation using networking and cluster develop-ment. At any given time the I.O.C. team is working on various project based on cluster ideology. Major projects in 2012 include establishing an advanced processing cluster in reykjanes named

Codland (see www.codland.is), joint market-ing of tech firms (green Marine Technology) and setting up an online platform for business-es and university students to work together on projects.

One of the first steps in establishing the Ice-land Ocean Cluster was analyzing its impact on the Icelandic economy. This was done by ana-lyzing data from the year 2010 where the total contribution of the ocean cluster to Icelandic gross domestic product was found to be 26,0%.

This analysis was recently continued and the same method used to evaluate the effects of the cluster on the economy in 2011. In the report, titled Iceland’s Ocean Economy, economists Thor Sig-fusson and haukur Már gestsson argue that the fishing indus-try is a „base industry“, which means that its impact on the the economy is far greater than its national accounts indicate. On the foundations of the traditional fisheries industry, a collection of sectors and firms has formed, meeting the fisheries’ needs. This collection of sectors as such has been named the ocean cluster. Studies show that a large part of the total contribution of the fish-ing sector to gdp comes from the operations of the ocean cluster.

The results of the analysis indicate that the contribution of

fisheries and related sectors in the ocean cluster was 27.1% of gdp in total, compared to 26% in 2010. The direct contribution to gdp, the value added in fisheries and fish processing in the form of wages and profits, is compiled by Statistics Iceland. This con-tribution increased from 9.9% to 10.5% between 2010 and 2011. The indirect contribution of the fishing industry is the value add-ed in the sectors that provide the fishing industry with resources or further process its products. The indirect contribution is not calculated by Statistics Iceland. It can however be estimated as the multiple of the value added in these related sectors and the share in their total turnover attributed to trade with the fishing industry. A prerequisite for this evaluation is that the value add-ed in business dealings with the fisheries is on average equal to the value added in business with other sectors. This value was estimated at 7.7% in 2011, an increase from 7.0% in 2010. In addi-tion to the direct and indirect contribution of the fisheries sector to gdp, it can be assumed that the added value created direct-ly and indirectly, and which appears in the form of wages and profits, will be used to purchase consumer goods and services.

The Iceland Ocean Cluster

T

thor sigfusson founder and Managing

director of the Iceland ocean cluster

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

'99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11

Fisheries' Direct Contribution to GDP

Fishing Aquaculture Fish processing


Thereby the sector has an even greater impact on the Icelan-dic economy. These effects are called demand effects and are quite compli-cated to evaluate in a precise manner. In the report, the economists argue that the demand effects probably are be-tween 50 and 100% of the direct and indirect contribution. It was de-cided to be somewhat be-low the lower limits of the above range and consider the demand effect to be 40% of the direct and indirect added val-ue of the fisheries sector. Assuming that this added value was 18.4% of gdp, the demand effect was approximately 7.7% of gdp in 2011. lastly, the value of independent ex-ports of supporting sectors was estimated at around 1.5% of gdp making the overall impact of the ocean cluster 27.1% of gross do-mestic product.

Employment in the ocean cluster is expected to have grown by at least 3 to 5% between 2010 and 2011. This increase is due to more jobs being created in fishing and fish processing, technol-ogy firms and various other fields related to the fishing industry. Conversations with a number of fishing companies reveal that many intend to cut down and reduce staff in order to meet in-creased taxation. Overall, this staff reduction did not take place in 2011, but is likely to have an impact in 2012 and 2013.

Interestingly, turnover in many of the cluster’s sectors has grown considerably in proportion to employment, indicating in-

creased productivity. Manage-ment consulting firm McKinsey

& Co argued in a recent report on the Icelandic economy that the fishing industry is the sector that has main-tained the highest level of productivity for the past decades. This trend seems to continue in 2011.

Technology firms in the ocean cluster ap-

pear to have realized the most growth, as turnover

increased by around 15% in 2010 to 2011. There are indi-

cations of an estimated 10-15% growth in advanced marine process-

ing and biotechnology, but this growth can be expected to rise in the coming years

given the plans that many these firms seem to hold.

Overall, 2011 was a good year for the Icelandic ocean cluster with increased profitability in most areas. however, warning signs are present with increased taxation and uncertainties in in-ternational markets. Further growth and productivity increase in the ocean cluster depends on stability in its operating environ-ment and the depletion of uncertainties regarding fisheries man-agement.

The Iceland Ocean Cluster’s research team has already start-ed compiling and assessing data from 2012 in order to compare the scope of the ocean cluster to the years before. hopefully, the looming uncertainties in the sector will not have slowed down the cluster’s growth too much. A full report on the issue will be made available later this year on www.sjavarklasinn.is. n

Gross Domestic Product

27.1%

10.5%

The Ocean Cluster

Fisheries and fish processing


the total economic impact of the ocean cluster in Iceland in 2011

he Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has seen growing in-terest and commitment to the MSC program in Iceland, Faroe Islands and greenland. In June 2012, the Iceland Sustainable Fishery (ISF) company was established to be a common plat-form for Icelandic fisheries in their journey towards sustain-able fishing and MSC certification. MSC supports this positive development.

» 190 fisheries certifiedIn 2000, the Western Australia rock lobster fishery was the first fishery becoming MSC certified. Today, 190 fisheries are certi-fied and another 102 are in assessment to gain MSC certifica-tion. Together these fisheries represent over 11 per cent of the annual global harvest of wild capture fisheries, which is equiva-lent to 10 million metric tonnes of seafood. Worldwide, more than 18.000 seafood products in 106 countries, which can be traced back to the certified sustainable fisheries, bear the blue MSC ecolabel.

» growing interest in IcelandInterest in the MSC program in Iceland started with the Icelan-dic export company Sæmark entering their cod and haddock fisheries into MSC assessment. These fisheries achieved MSC certification in June 2011. The Icelandic group plC followed their example and in April 2012 they achieved MSC certification for nation’s entire cod and haddock fisheries. In May 2012, Sam-herji started MSC assessment for its fisheries for Atlantic Scan-dic and Iceland summer spawning herring. The foundation of ISF will host and share these certificates and to be the common platform for seeking MSC certification for new fish species. To-day there are 25 shareholders in ISF.

“recently the MSC and ISF welcomed key Icelandic fishery

stakeholders at an informative meeting, which resulted in fur-ther understanding of the MSC program among the partici-pants.” explains gísli gíslason, MSC’s Senior Outreach Man-ager, “highlighted was the importance of sustainable fishing, what the MSC program entails and the role of ISF.”

» greenland and Faroe Islandsgreenland achieved their first MSC certification in February 2013 for their West greenland cold water prawn fishery. prawn is economically the nation most important fishery product. This positive result of MSC certification was accomplished because of the combined effort of the industry, science and government. Another remarkable success was the certification of the great silver smelt fishery from the Faroe Islands in autumn 2012. It is the first fishery of this species in the MSC program.

» Future perspectives“Vignir g. Jónsson hf. entered the Icelandic gillnet lumpfish fishery into assessment for MSC certification this February,” gíslason continues. “This is the first lumpfish fishery in the MSC program and we are excited to follow the assessment pro-cess. ISF investigates next steps to get other species into assess-ment. Today over 40 companies in Iceland hold their MSC chain of custody certificate and this number is increasing.”

» Msc 5 year strategic planglobal market demand for sustainable seafood has grown over the past years. And so too has demand for credible certification and assurance programs. last year, MSC launched its 5 year strategic plan aimed at ensuring that the MSC will maintain its position as the world’s most credible certification program and become increasingly user-friendly for all partners. n

Increasing interest in MSC program in northern Europe

T


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Icelandic firm Valka has put on the market a new X-ray guided water jet cutting machine for cutting out pin bones and portions. The machine gives fish processors opportunity to substantially improve throughput and yield using fewer workers when trimming and portioning fish fillets.

The machine uses combination of an X-ray and 3D image processing system together with robot controlled water jets to locate and cut out pin bones and portions with exceptionally high accuracy. The first machine has already been sold and used for few months at HB Grandi in Iceland.

Doubled capacity compared to manual cuttingThe machine at HB Grandi is being used to cut out pin bones as well loins in Redfish fillets. With 3-4 workers working at the new line the capacity is at least double compared to manual cutting. This machine is single lane but it would also be possible to install it with double lane and increase the capacity accordingly.

Higher value products – Short ROI periodBy applying the new X-ray guided cutting machine HB Grandi is now able to produce much more valuable boneless products previously not feasible to process manually due to unacceptable yield and high labor costs. Therefore the estimated return of investment period for the HB Grandi machine is short.

Main benefits:• Increasing the yield by minimizing

the bone off cut – Typically the V-cut• Increasing the yield into higher value products

– Commonly by maximizing the size of the loins• Reduce the amount of labor needed to trim the fillets.

Vision system for measuring the fish densityThe X-ray machine is exceptionally sensitive, capable of detecting fish bone down to 0.2 mm in size. The machine cutting proximity and throughput can be tuned to match the objective of yield and boneless fillets. The vision system can furthermore measure the density of the fil-let and cut portions to the desired weight, for instance 150 gram loins.

Turning point in fish processing

Showcasing in BrusselsThe new x-ray guiding cutting machine will be showcased at the Seafood Processing in Brussels 2013

Come and see for yourself at Hall 4 booth 6115-1

!

New X-ray guided cutting machine can greatly increase throughput and yield when trimming and portioning fish fillets.

Image above: Cod fillets cut in two different ways. Image below: The machine in action at a customers plant.

Icelandic firm Valka has put on the market a new X-ray guided water jet cutting machine for cutting out pin bones and portions. The machine gives fish processors opportunity to substantially improve throughput and yield using fewer workers when trimming and portioning fish fillets.

The machine uses combination of an X-ray and 3D image processing system together with robot controlled water jets to locate and cut out pin bones and portions with exceptionally high accuracy. The first machine has already been sold and used for few months at HB Grandi in Iceland.

Doubled capacity compared to manual cuttingThe machine at HB Grandi is being used to cut out pin bones as well loins in Redfish fillets. With 3-4 workers working at the new line the capacity is at least double compared to manual cutting. This machine is single lane but it would also be possible to install it with double lane and increase the capacity accordingly.

Higher value products – Short ROI periodBy applying the new X-ray guided cutting machine HB Grandi is now able to produce much more valuable boneless products previously not feasible to process manually due to unacceptable yield and high labor costs. Therefore the estimated return of investment period for the HB Grandi machine is short.

Main benefits:• Increasing the yield by minimizing

the bone off cut – Typically the V-cut• Increasing the yield into higher value products

– Commonly by maximizing the size of the loins• Reduce the amount of labor needed to trim the fillets.

Vision system for measuring the fish densityThe X-ray machine is exceptionally sensitive, capable of detecting fish bone down to 0.2 mm in size. The machine cutting proximity and throughput can be tuned to match the objective of yield and boneless fillets. The vision system can furthermore measure the density of the fil-let and cut portions to the desired weight, for instance 150 gram loins.

Turning point in fish processing

Showcasing in BrusselsThe new x-ray guiding cutting machine will be showcased at the Seafood Processing in Brussels 2013

Come and see for yourself at Hall 4 booth 6115-1

!

New X-ray guided cutting machine can greatly increase throughput and yield when trimming and portioning fish fillets.

Image above: Cod fillets cut in two different ways. Image below: The machine in action at a customers plant.

X-Ray

3

A robot controlled water jet cuts the first curve

4

Second water jet

cuts the pinbone loose

5

Bonefreefish fillet

2

Vision system 3D image is mapped with the x-ray image to accurately locate

the bones

1

X-ray camera dectects bones down to 0.2mm

In a recent interview HB Grandi’s Production manager Torfi Þor-steinsson, said. „We use the machine to cut out pin bones from Redfish fillets. The fillets are small and up until this day the majority has been sold with bones as it has been too expensive to manually cut out the pin bone. It requires too much manual labor per kilo and the chances are the yield is not good enough due to the small size.

With the new cutting machine we get much more accurate cutting, better yield and the throughput is increased. Furthermore we now have the possibility of marketing bone free Redfish fillets that are much more valuable product. ….the next step will be to adapt the machine for other species. …if all goes well this technology could very well be a breakthrough in fish processing“ said Torfi finally.

Adjustable cutting parameters The cutting process for the distance of the cutting path from bones can easily be adjust-ed by the worker in the machine interface and the cutting process can be defined: • how close the cut will be on the loin side• how close the cut will be on the belly flap side• how far behind the last bone the cut is.

About ValkaIcelandic food equipment production com-pany Valka develops innovative solutions for the fish processing industry. The compa-ny offers high-tech innovative weighing and grading applications as well as advanced trimming and packing lines with easy to use production and order handling software.

The company’s primary objective is to improve the quality and yield of the raw material, resulting in a higher selling price for the processed fish products. Created with quality craftsmanship, the company’s product line delivers higher yield, improved processing and better product quality.

“ Breakthrough in fish processingTorfi Þorsteinsson Production manager at HB Grandi

Vikurhvarf 8IS 203 Kopavogur

T: (+354) 534 9300F: (+354) 534 9301

[email protected]


nsuring the freshness of fresh fish from catch to market, and by that securing extended shelf life, is simply what Thor Ice ltd. is all about. located in the Ocean Cluster house at reykjavik har-bor, Thor Ice ltd is in direct contact with fishermen, processors and consumers alike.

Founded in reykjavik some ten years ago, Thor Ice ltd. is now in the forefront of chilling of seafood and other raw material. Correct chilling and handling has a major effect on the quality of fish, whether frozen or delivered fresh. The key to success is to chill the raw material within the first hour after the catch comes on board the fishing vessel. The fish should have reached a tem-perature close to or under 0°C within one hour from catch. This can best be achieved by rapid chilling, using slurry ice.

The positive effect of this correct handling of fish can be seen in the flesh and the increased shelf life, is a direct consequence of proper handling during the first hour after catch. The most im-portant benefits in this concern are:

1) Extended shelf life 2) reduced gaping3) Extended start of rigor (from catch)4) Extended time of rigor

thorsteinn Ingi Viglundsson, the founder of thor Ice ltd explains the benefits of rapid chilling to guests at the nor Fishing exhibition in trondheim, norway 2012.

» Introducing small and low cost machinesThor Ice ltd offers extensive range of equipment for all levels of the fishing industry:

• Small machines for boats fishing lobster, mackerel, prawns and more• Industrial applications for land based processing and fish farming• Medium applications on board longliners, trawlers and pelagic vessels

The largest applications are Eco friendly ammonia systems producing over 240 tons of slurry ice a day. These systems are used for rapid chilling of salmon and pelagic fish on shore or at sea. Current users of such systems are for example, Marine har-vest in Scotland, Viking Seafood and luna Seafood in the Faeroe Islands, all leading fish farming companies.

The latest series of small machines for inshore fishing boats from Thor Ice ltd. are a revolutionary one. The new series are more affordable and simple in use than known before, offering smaller boats the same opportunity to chill faster and deliver the best quality as in larger boats, however at a fraction of the cost.

Aimed at the growing inshore fishing fleet in the north Atlan-tic, the new series have a vide range of application, in terms of species. Among them are:

• lobster• Crab• Tuna• Mackerel• Whitefish• Shrimp

The smallest machine can chill 500-1.000 kg of fish a day and are thus well suited for the smallest inshore fishing boats. They are low cost, compact and energy efficient. They can be used on 230-volt electrical charge on land-based electricity or directly off the boats 12 or 24-volt electrical system. The goal was to sup-ply the same quality product to the inshore fishing fleet as the large boats are using and by that giving them the opportunity to increase the quality and shelf life of their catch, in an afford-able way. Current users of Thor Ice small slurry ice machines are, among many others, the fishing vessels Asta B and the Saga K, operating out of Tromsö, norway.

» Marketing technology, selling freshnessAfter marketing the benefits of rapid chilling for years, Thor Ice ltd. decided that a new approach was due in the way the com-pany marketed the technology behind the Thor Ice machines. launched at the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition in 2011, the so-called: ,,passport to Chilling, Securing Extended shelf life”, was introduced. The passport outlines the basics in chilling, energy need, the positive effect of correct chilling and handling and how and where chilling and handling really matters. This is done in an ,,easy-to-read-and-understand” way, which underlines the fact that selling technology doesn’t have to be complicat-ed. Since then, the understanding of the basics of chilling has increased by fishermen and processors. Selling freshness is the common goal of the while value chain; from catch to consumer. Thor Ice ltd contributes greatly to that understanding.

The passport can be printed off the website www.thorice.is or the customer will receive a hard copy, by contacting Thor Ice at [email protected] ([email protected]). n

Ensuring the freshness of fish

E

www.matis.is

Matís is in many ways an important resource for Icelanders. The company is a key player in

food research and food safety, and has over 100 knowledgeable employees who are

experts in many different fields.

Research is important for the fisheries sector as it support the development, innovation and marketing of the industry. At Matís, a number of research projects, related in various ways to the fisheries industry, are ongoing year round. This way, Matís is always searching for new knowledge to know more today than we did yesterday.

Research for the fishing industry


he Iceland responsible Fisheries programme is based on the Articles and substantive criteria of the united nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) reference documents for the Code of Conduct for responsible Fisheries (1995) as well as the FAO guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery products from Marine Capture Fisheries (2005/2009). These documents have been translated into straightforward ‘FAO-Based Conformance Criteria’ for fishery assessment. The Con-formance Criteria used for Icelandic Fisheries and the Certi-fication methodology is accredited by an IAF Accreditation Body (a member of the International Accreditation Forum) to the international standard for certification En45011 / ISO 65 The main purpose of the certification and ecolabelling pro-gramme is to strengthen incentives towards improved fisheries management and to offer a choice in the field of independent, third party, accredited certification. Competition is essential in this field as elsewhere. The Iceland responsible Fisheries programme arose out of discussions with all members of the seafood supply chain in Iceland and was officially launched in October 2008. Iceland’s cod fisheries were certified in de-cember 2010 with three more Icelandic fisheries (haddock,

saithe and golden redfish) currently undergoing the certifica-tion process.

» about the certificationThe application and certification process involves eight stages. Once certification has been confirmed and a Chain of Custody cer-tificate issued, the certified applicant can apply for the right to use the certification mark and/or statement on packs. This guarantees to both buyers and consumers of Icelandic seafood products that they have originated from responsibly managed fisheries.

The Iceland responsible Fisheries certification is a voluntary marketing tool serving the Icelandic fishing industry and the value chain as a whole. The programme emphasizes on Icelandic origin of seafood while other private certifications do not. Small scale fisheries normally put their catch on the fish auction mar-kets so they benefit indirectly. All stakeholders in the value chain benefit from good reputation of Icelandic fisheries.

The origin of the products is becoming increasingly important in the marketplace. Therefore it is beneficial for Icelandic inter-ests to connect Icelandic origin, good reputation and certification together.

Iceland responsible Fisheries

T

Iceland Sustainable Fisheries ehf (ISF) was founded in autumn 2012 for the purpose to keep track of and get sustainability and traceabil-ity certifications for Icelandic seafood.

The markets for Iceland origin seafood are increasingly asking for such certifications to be available and therefor important for the in-dustry in Iceland to have access to sustainability certifications to en-sure access to the primary markets. In addition to that the countries around Iceland, for example norway and russia, have obtained MSC certification for their cod and haddock fisheries

Founders were 17 sales and marketing companies in the seafood industry in Iceland. Since then, an additional 8 companies have joined ISF so in total 25 companies are behind ISF today. Amongst them the biggest sales companies in Iceland as well as some of the largest producers. ISF is open to all those interested and see ben-efits to participating.

Icelandic group shared MSC certification for Icelandic cod and haddock with the ISF and Samherji will share MSC certification of the norwegian and Icelandic herring, when certification process is complete.

ISF has also begun working on obtaining MSC certification for Ice-landic saithe and expected to obtain certification by the end of 2013. In addition to this ISF is looking into certification of other species that are caught in the Icelandic waters such as redfish, catfish and flatfish species.

The board of ISF today consist of hans Einarsson from Icelandic group, Svavar guðmundsson from Saemark, Friðrik Blomsterberg from Iceland Seafood and Jan B. Thomsen from danica Seafood. Managing director is gunnlaugur Eiríksson. n

25 companies together in Iceland Sustainable Fisheries

Icelandic fishing boat in a tough weather. cod and haddock fisheries in Iceland have gained Msc certification.

The Icelandic fishing industry, including the marketing and sales companies, pays for the fisheries certification by an annual membership fee of which value depends on annual turnover of the membership companies. no logo licensing fees are collected.

participating companies pay the Chain of Custody costs to the certification body.

For more detailed information, see www.responsibleFisher-ies.is. n

poto: Þorgeir Baldurssonthe trawl hauled in on an icelandic freshfish trawler.



lectronic logbooks are becoming mandatory for most commer-cial fisheries in most countries. In most cases they are used solely as a mandatory reporting system for the fishing authori-ties. It is however possible to use the logbook as a base for ad-ditional collection of information for the benefit of the fish-ing companies. To minimize the effort and improve efficiency, Trackwell has launched product Manager, a system that keeps track of all production registration onboard and links the prod-uct data to fishing grounds and catch activity data collected by the e-logbook. This eliminates multiple entries of data and enables tracing of fish products all the way to the location and time where and when the fish was caught. The system also maintains information on production value, packaging usage, utilization factors and quality inspections.

» positive feedback from captains and usersSome seafood companies have started to use the full-featured product Manager Service from Trackwell. hB grandi, one of the largest fishing companies in Iceland, is using the system to col-lect data from the vessels and automatically transfer the infor-mation to the company’s Erp system, which is based on Micro-soft dynamics nAV. This reduces errors and saves labour costs by minimizing double entries of data. It also allows company managers to allocate the product on inventory before it has been landed.

product Manager has been installed onboard five factory vessels owned by the Canadian company Ocean Choice Inter-national. The registrations from the vessels are collected in a database on a central server, enabling company managers to monitor the latest information on the catch and production, along with the tracking and positioning of vessels.

» higher standards on sustainability Many modern fishing companies are meeting higher standards on sustainability, with more detailed registration of catch and onboard production.

Fisheries are increasingly facing demand from buyers for more traceability of the product and for certification of sustain-able fishing and quality in processing. In order to fulfil that, it is necessary for the fisheries to collect and keep track of various data and store it in a database.

Trackwell product Manager is designed to collect the catch-

and production data and to organize in a database for easy gen-eration of various reports and statistics out of the data.

» traceability using Qr codesA fish supplier from the Westfjords in north Iceland shows one practical ex-ample of how it is possible to make use of the solution. The company is supply-ing first class quality cod to restaurants in England and the united States.

The fish is taken by vessels where the catch is registered with the Track-well system, and when the fish is shipped fresh by air cargo to buyers, a Qr Code is created. The code is printed with each lot of fish, allowing the restaurants to display them on the menu daily. The customer then has the possibility to use his smart-phone to scan the Qr Code and get detailed information about the catch. This includes a map, showing the exact location where the fish was caught, along with environmental param-eters.

» More focus on cost benefitsAnother aspect of how the system can be used is the monitoring of the productivity of the fishing. product Manager keeps track of the value of the catch per haul. It can also be used to monitor the cost, time and effort of the fishing expedition.

The system logs the speed and sailed distance of the vessel along with all its activity, including when hauls begin and tow-ing times. It is therefore possible to link the oil consumption with the fishing activity in order to analyze the actual cost per kg of catch. This also makes it possible to estimate the cost of different options of fishing in advance for the captains. In order to improve things, they have to be controllable and measurable. The monitoring of the cost is therefore very ––important to en-sure the most sustainable way of fishing. n

Future in Fishing Management

E

sustainable cod fishing in westfjords.

you are welcome to visit our stand 6127 in hall 4 to learn more about software tools that improve sustainability and traceability for fisheries.

Trackwell at Brussels

sustainable cod fishing in westfjords.

Fisheries Solutions

See you at Seafood Processing EuropeWhere: BrusselWhen: April 23-25, 2013Stand: 6127 – Hall 4

www.trackwell.com/maritime

Electronic Logbook Product ManagerCatchViewer Vessel Tracking

>> >> >> >>


eading global plastics manufacturer promens is marketing a new product. It is containers with real-time automatic management system called MInd. Marketing director hilmar guðmundsson says the containers with the new management tracking system are the greatest change in the plastic container business for the last decade at least.

The new containers have many positive fea-tures. Wireless Id/sensors are moulded into the containers. The sensors have up to 300 me-ters range and battery lifetime of eight years. The sensors commit continuous temperature measurements in the surroundings of the con-tainer.

The owner has transceivers that automati-cally communicate with up to 500 containers simultaneously. The transceivers are installed at sites and/or in vehicles. When installed in

vehicles they report a real-time gpS location of both the vehicles and the containers being transported. .

“The system is automatic. The containers transmit information through the transceivers to a centralized database so the owner always has information about individual containers in real-time and knows for example where they are and their surrounding temperature“ says hilmar guðmundsson, sales- and marketing director in Europe.

“The owner can see the location of the containers on a real-time web-based map and is able to follow their route. All the in-formation is collected into a centralized database. Additionally the new sensor measures the temperature in the surroundings of the containers so if the containers are out in the sun or in a freezer the owner will know. The route and temperature history of each container is logged in the centralized database and is al-ways accessible. This can be crucial in food transportation,“ guð-mundsson says.

The new container management system will be introduced in the Seafood processing Europe Exhibition in Brussels April 23rd – 25th 2013. Containers with the new system are of course being introduced and marketed in Iceland. n

real-time automatic management containers

he government of Iceland has decided to support joint market-ing campaign of salted fish products from Iceland (Bacalao) in South Europe with a certain contribution in 2013. It is the Asso-ciation of ICE Salt fish, salt fish producers and promote Iceland that jointly formed this marketing campaign. These will raise the

same amount of money or more, from stakeholders in the value chain, both pro-ducers and sales compa-nies in Iceland, and distrib-

uters abroad. This is a one year project, mainly focused

on Spain, portugal and Italy. This marketing project is very

important because of declin-ing demand for the product

due to bad economic situation in main markets for (Bacalao)

salted fish products from Iceland.

the objectives are to strengthen the market position for salted fish from Iceland in key markets and increase value: • Strengthen the good image of Icelandic salted fish products as excellent choice by promoting the origin, quality and pureness of the products• Build up trust and strengthen connection with key customers, buyers and distributors• Create interest and demand for Icelandic salted fish products and gain new consumers

The project will be based on the strategy of Iceland respon-sible Fisheries programme: to promote quality and freshness of seafood products, sustainably sourced from the clean Icelandic waters.

The know-how, experience and expertise gained in other proj-ects, e.g. “Inspired by Iceland” and “Iceland responsible Fisher-ies”, will be useful in this project. promote Iceland will coordi-nate this project with other promotional campaigns.

The project board has seven members; five from the produc-ers and sales companies in Iceland, one from the Ministry of In-dustries and Innovation, and one from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The board will be responsible for the strategy, objectives and funding of the project, with input from advisory boards. pro-mote Iceland will be managing and the project.

An advisory board will be formed for every market. Stakehold-ers in the market bring to the table information about the market, buying behaviour and main channels, define the main challeng-es in the market, and suggest the main emphasis in marketing activities. The participants are those that have a lot of experi-ence from each market area, producers and marketing companies in Iceland and marketing companies (buyers and distributers) in the market. The project board will use this information in the planning of the projects, strategy and actions. n

For further information, please contact:promote Iceland (Íslandsstofa)gudny Karadottir, director for marketing of goods and servicestel +354 511 4000 // +354 693 3233 // [email protected]

Marketing Campaign – Salted Fish from Iceland

T


Wild catch from the clean waters of Iceland

Brim Seafood is an established �shing and �sh processing

company in Iceland.

The company operates reliable vessels and modern �sh processing equipment to guarantee high quality

at all stages in the production.

We o�er a variety of fresh, frozen, salted and dried products from the clean

waters of the North Atlantic.

Brim hf.ICELAND

www.brimseafood.isRESPONSIBLE FISHERIES

www.�sheries.is


s fish market prices are under pressure, the Icelandic fleet is up-grading to roteX on-board systems – and it’s paying off!

With a consistently good standard and a higher value per kilo, the best quality fish sells first!

The Patented RoteX side injection system increases the quality:Bleeding and Chilling with roteX on-board: every single fish is bled for 15 minutes, and chilled for 30 minutes before it is stored in the fish hold.

Significantly whiter flesh and lower bacterial counts, as blood and iron are reduced to a minimum level.

Extended shelf-life is only one of the benefits of taking control of the rigor process; yield and logistics savings are considerable.

By-product value is optimised as our on-board solutions are designed to handle guts gently and to separate roe, liver, and other valuables. The head quality is improved with our bleeding method.

rotex on-board solutions are applicable to most fish species and have been adopted in Alaska, South Africa, Faroe Islands, norway and Iceland.

» exceptional hygiene and traceability with roteX thawingFilterX, the newest addition to our patented roteX thawing so-lution, is described as a breakthrough by our customers. The

water filtering system makes it possible to use the same water for 2 days, staying within recommended hygiene standards. Wa-ter usage and recycling costs are reduced significantly.

The On-Track computer interface provides the user with touch-screen controls and traceability of the product. The thaw-ing process can be monitored by a remote connection from any-where, at any time, through a secured internet connection.

high quality thawing and throughput are guaranteed by our unique FIFO system, applicable for Alaskan pollock, Cod, had-dock, Mackerel, Sardines and other species.

» optimum footprint and hygiene with roteX aquaculture Our patented side injection system, combined with our unique design results, in a 30% superior volume compared to conven-tional tanks with the same footprint.

FilterX, the latest addition to our patented roteX aquaculture solution, evacuates suspended solids. Water usage and recy-cling costs are reduced significantly.

The 3X Technology On-TrACK computer control system op-timises the water flow and temperature in the rOTEX aquacul-ture system with remarkable accuracy. All measured temper-atures, water, energy usage; process and control values are recorded and stored in the system for quality assurance pur-poses. n

Consistent quality with roteX On-Board

A

3X Technology patented Solutions:

roteX on-BoardroteX thawingroteX aquaculture

Before after

www.marel.com/SPE2013

INNOVATIONTHROUGH PARTNERSHIP

By linking together what we do best with what you do best, we create innovation through partnership to add value for you and your customers.

Step into the future with us at Stand 6227 – Hall 4Seafood Processing Europe 2013, Brussels

after

amskip’s new route opens up a more comprehensive range of ser-vices for the seafood industry and other key exporters in Iceland. not only does the new route offer direct shipping to Europe from Isafjördur, Akureyri and reydarfjördur but it also significantly reduces the prevalent cargo transport by road. Cargo no longer needs to be hauled to reykjavik for export. Thus the new route is not only more cost-effective for the exporters but it is also en-vironmentally friendly as it reduces the carbon footprint as well as the wear and tear of the domestic road system, says Samskip CEO, Asbjörn gislason.

» Meeting the needs of the customerSamskip recently announced the new cargo route to meet the demands of the domestic market. According to the CEO, adding Isafjördur and Akureyri to the existing net of the export harbours of reykjavik, reydarfjördur and The Westman Islands, Samskip has extended its services onto a new level. Calling Kollafjördur in the Faroe Islands on its way from reydarfjördur to Immingham in the united Kingdom the vessel sails onwards to rotterdam in the netherlands before she makes the return trip. gislason does not rule out the possibility that new ports of call may be added to the current schedule.

» comprehensive range of integrated logistics In Iceland, Samskip has enhanced its tightly woven net of do-mestic transport routes with a fleet of hi-tec equipped haulage trucks. Combined with the latest generation of cargo vessels and temperature controlled storages, Samskip offers a comprehensive range of integrated logistics in the north-Atlantic, by road, by sea and even by rail to all destinations in Europe and beyond. With the addition of Samskip’s dense sailing schedule there’s a wide range of services on offer, tailored to the needs of each individual customer.

» growing need for direct shippingSamskip has for some time been aware of a growing need for di-rect shipping from the Westfjords and northern part of Iceland. This demand evolves around the basic need of exporting seafood products fast and efficiently to the main markets in the united Kingdom and on the European mainland. ‘We´ve seized the op-portunity and are currently reorganising our transpoprt system,” gislason adds.

» Increased quality of serviceWhile reorganising its sailing routes and enhancing its logistics, Samskip has simultaneously upgraded onshore facilities in Ice-land to increase the quality of its services. The country’s booming fishing industry has been specifically targeted. Adding a range of new containers for fresh and frozen seafood alike, Samskip has raised the bar by making various other adjustments to particular links in its chain of service.

‘understanding the changing patterns in global trading, our dedicated team provide tailor made transport solutions to suit the growing needs of a diverse industry, the Samskip CEO, Asb-jörn gislason, concludes. n

Samskip – a key provider of north-Atlantic logistics

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Samskip’s vessels sail from reykjavik en-route to Isafjördur, Akureyri and reydarfjördur and onwards to Immingham in the uK and rotterdam in the netherlands, calling Kollafjördur in the Faroe Islands along the way. From rotterdam, the vessel returns to Iceland for a new voyage.

The new route around Iceland onwards to Europe


www.samskip.com

March 18 marks a turning point in sea freight service to and from Iceland, when Samskip opens a route connecting rural Iceland directly with markets in the UK and mainland Europe.

We are proud to offer customers in Iceland and elsewhere the efficiency and environmental benefits that come with their products reaching customers more directly.

> Efficient and environmentally sound

Together we make it happen

Kollafjordur

Reydarfjordur

IsafjordurAkureyri

Cuxhaven

Aarhus

Varberg

Grundartangi

Reykjavik

Vestmannaeyjar

Immingham

Rotterdam

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he fisheries sector has been one of the mainstays of the Icelandic economy for decades. The sector accounted for approximately 11% of gdp in 2011, or 25% if account is taken of the ocean clus-ter (i.e. the indirect effects of the seafood industry on gdp). The importance of the seafood industry can also be seen in exports. Marine products accounted for approximately 38% of the total export value of goods from Iceland in 2011 and approximately 26% of the total value of exported goods and services. The export value amounted to just under ISK 252bn, a 14.2% increase from the previous year. Export value of marine products has never been higher than in 2011. Europe was the most important mar-ket area for Icelandic seafood goods in 2011, as 72% of the total value of exported marine products went to Europe, an increase of 12.8% since 2010.

Cod was the most valuable export species in 2011, accounting for approximately 31% of the total export value of marine prod-ucts. Mackerel and herring followed, with around 10% each. de-mersal species products in 2011 accounted for just under 58% of the total value of seafood goods. The share of pelagic species of the total export value was 26.7%, an increase of 48.1% from the previous year. Of individual pelagic species, the export value of mackerel was the greatest, increasing by 158% between 2010 and 2011.

In 2011, the fisheries sector directly accounted for 9,000 jobs, whereof 5,200 were in fishing and 3,800 in fish processing, an in-crease of just under 5% from the preceding year. The number of fisheries industry-related jobs has increased over the past four years by 1,800. A vast majority of those employed by the seafood industry work outside the greater reykjavík area, or 80%. The

seafood industry plays an especially important role in the coun-tryside, where it accounts for approximately 11.9% of all jobs, compared to only 1.7% in the capital’s area.

There have been significant increases in catch volumes and catch values. Catch value rose by 14.2% from 2010 to 2011. The catch value of demersal species rose by 8% between years and by 37.6% in pelagic species. The catch value in 2011 was just un-der ISK 154bn, a 16% increase from 2010 and an increase of 157% from 2000.

The operation of Icelandic seafood industry companies has generally been successful over recent years despite the sector being heavily leveraged. The EBITdA margin of the companies has been quite high during the past three years, and the EBIT-dA margin of fisheries has reached ISK 36bn. This achievement has been attained despite a reduction in fishing quotas, high oil prices and increased levies on the industry. It is therefore quite clear that the extensive and comprehensive restructuring activities that the seafood industry companies have undertaken in recent years are beginning to show results in improved op-erations.

Iceland ranked 18th among the largest fishing nations in 2010, with a catch volume of over one million tonnes. This equates to 1.6% of the total global catch volume. Seafood con-sumption in Iceland has been decreasing. nevertheless, con-sumption was 88 kg per person per year (ungutted fish) ac-cording to 2009 data FAO, the highest in the world. Seafood consumption in Iceland is more than four times of the average in Europe, where it is around 22 kg per person per year, and al-most five times the global average.

Icelandic fishing industry, a important foundation in the Icelandic economy

Twritten by

Íslandsbanki


There has been a strong trend towards consolidation in the Ice-landic seafood industry in past two decades after fishing quotas became transferable. The driving force behind this was increased economisation. At present, the 50 largest seafood industry com-panies hold approximately 85% of issued average quotas. In 2011, the following five companies were the largest based on issued quota: hB grandi, Samherji, Þorbjörn, FISKSeafood and Brim. The 10 largest companies control just under 52% of issued harvesting rights, and the 20 largest companies control approximately 71%.

It is important to ensure that the Icelandic seafood industry is able to compete on an international level. As a result, Icelan-dic fisheries companies must be ensured a beneficial and se-cure operating environment so that the country’s resources can provide the economy with the greatest returns in a sustainable manner. At the beginning of 2012, the Minister of Industry and Innovation, formerly the Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture, submitted a legislative proposal for changes to fisheries man-agement on the one hand and fishing fees on the other. The pro-posals envisaged fundamental changes to the current fisheries management laws. The proposal for the Fishing Fee only con-tained changes to the fishing fee, as its name indicates, and was passed at the beginning of summer. The latter proposal will be submitted to the parliament again during the present winter, af-ter an advisory committee has reviewed it, as the proposal con-tains provisions on amendments to the fisheries management system. Íslandsbanki submitted comments on the proposals in April 2012, which may be accessed on the bank’s home page. The comments show that Íslandsbanki has grave doubts about the changes that are envisaged by the proposal. n

» Key points

•Icelandranks18thamongtheleadingfisheriesnationsintheworld, with 1.6% of the total catch.

•Icelandhasthehighestconsumptionofseafoodpercapita (88 kg/person) according to the 2009 data from FAO.

•TherehasbeenagoodEBITDAmarginfromtheoperationofseafood industry companies over the past three years, leverage has been reduced and profits have increased.

•In2011,seafoodproductsaccountedfor38%ofIceland’stotalexport value and for approximately 26% of the total value of exported goods and services.

•Theaggregatevalueofexportedmarineproductsin2011wasjustunder ISK 252bn and has never been higher.

•Theseafoodindustry’sdirectcontributiontoGDPin2011was11%;25%if account is taken of the indirect effects of the ocean cluster.

•TheUKisthemainimporterofIcelandicmarineproducts,withan18% market share; next are Spain (9%), norway (7%), France (7%) and the netherlands (7%).

•Codisthemostvaluablespecies,withapproximately31%shareofthetotal export value of marine products.

•Mackerelwasthemostvaluablepelagicspeciesin2011,itsvalue increasing by 158% between years.

•Approximately9,000peoplearedirectlyemployedbythefisheries industry, or approximately 5.3% of Iceland’s workforce; 80% of the jobs are outside the greater reykjavík area.

islandsbanki.is | Tel. 440 4000

We OfferGood Service

Your Business is Always on Our Mind

Our goal is to make sure your business gets the financial services it needs to be successful. We go the extra mile to understand the challenges and opportunities facing your business and work closely with you to provide financial solutions that will help your business to grow.

At Íslandsbanki, we have put together a team of experienced professionals with a deep understanding of the seafood industry. Building on a heritage of servicing Iceland‘s core industry, Íslandsbanki has developed a specific expertise within the seafood sector since financing the first Icelandic motorised vessel in 1904. We utilize that experience to help leading industry players succeed in a competitive environment.

Expertise Grows from Enthusiasm.

Ragnar Gudjonsson has more than 40 years experience in the financial services industry.

Ragnar is a Business Manager in Seafood Industry at Íslandsbanki.

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