Fisheries Iceland

The Icelandic seafood industry is experiencing a notable shift: Salmon has recently become the second most valuable fish species in terms of export revenue.    For decades, cod has been the foundation of our seafood exports, and it remains a vital contributor to Iceland's economy. However, the rise of salmon farming presents a welcome addition, further strengthening and diversifying the sector.    In the first five months of 2024, salmon exports have seen a significant surge, contributing over 13% to the total value of seafood exports and a remarkable 5% to Iceland's overall exported goods. This represents the highest share of exports ever recorded for salmon during this period.    With the global demand for salmon continuing its upward trajectory, we expect this valuable fish to play an increasingly important role in Iceland's economic future. By leveraging both established and emerging seafood sectors, Iceland is well-positioned to solidify its place as a leader in the global seafood market. 

Ég þreytist ekki á að ræða gjaldtöku. 😅 Skrifaði nokkuð ítarlega grein í Viðskiptablaðið um áhrif veigamikilla breytinga á gjaldtöku vegna fiskeldis í sjó, sem nú er til meðferðar á Alþingi. Ýmis skref eru stigin í rétta átt þó gjaldahlutföll séu eftir sem áður óeðlilega há. https://lnkd.in/esqcdrB2

SFS bjóða til opins fundar mánudaginn 15. apríl kl. 12:00-13:15 á Grand Hótel í Reykjavík um umhverfismál í íslenskum sjávarútvegi. Þar verður umhverfisskýrsla SFS, Íslenskur sjávarútvegur í fararbroddi, kynnt og boðið verður upp á fróðleg erindi m.a. frá Arnstein Eknes frá norska ráðgjafafyrirtækinu DNV og Gunnþóri Ingvasyni forstjóra Síldarvinnslunnar. Fundurinn er öllum opinn. Léttur hádegisverður í boði.

As a small nation, prosperity in Iceland is built on robust and expanding export industries. While wild-caught fisheries have long been the cornerstone of our exports, the expanding aquaculture sector emerges as a promising addition, as highlighted by a recent Fitch Ratings report for Iceland (link in comment below).   I’m therefore happy to see that production and export of aquaculture products have had an exceptionally strong start this year. In the first two months, the export value of aquaculture products has reached over $97 million, marking the highest value ever for this period on record. The export value of aquaculture products in January and February was over 39% higher than during the first two months last year, based on fixed exchange rate. This past February was the third-largest export month ever, and January was fourth. It is thus safe to say that the year in aquaculture has started with a bang!   Alongside increased exports, the share of aquaculture products in the total value of exported goods from Iceland has significantly risen. The share of aquaculture products in exported goods was thus 8.4% in January and February. In recent years, their share has been around 6% for the first two months of the year, with a 6.4% share last year.

During February and March, Fisheries Iceland achieved a significant milestone by finalizing a new collective agreement with three major seafood industry unions, representing over 90% of fishermen on Icelandic vessels.   Navigating the ever-changing dynamics in our industry, from fluctuating fish stocks to turbulent markets, is a shared challenge by the companies within our industry and our dedicated Icelandic fishermen. The recently signed collective agreement, extending until 2033, is a unique accomplishment within the Icelandic labour market. This enduring commitment provides long-term stability, allowing us to concentrate on advancing our success amid the uncertainties inherent in our field.   While neighbouring countries often resort to subsidies for their fishing industries, we take pride in the fact that fisheries in Iceland not only sustains itself, but significantly contributes to Icelandic society.   Recognizing the demanding nature of fishing we are committed to offering our fishermen stable jobs and good salaries in Iceland. This reflects our dedication to recognizing and rewarding hard work within our seafood sector. A good system around fisheries and sound companies create good, safe, and well-paid jobs all year round. We pay high wages, and we are proud of it.

Heiðrún Lind Marteinsdóttir, framkvæmdastjóri Samtaka fyrirtækja í sjávarútvegi, ræðir í nýjum hlaðvarpsþætti Þjóðmála um stöðu sjávarútvegsins, hvort að leyndarhyggja ríki yfir greininni eins og sumir stjórnmálamenn halda fram, möguleikann á frekar samþjöppun, um fiskeldi og tækifærin sem þar liggja, fjárfestingar og arðsemi og margt annað sem snýr að þessari mikilvægu atvinnugrein á Íslandi.

Á vel heppnaðri ráðstefnu AQUA-ICE (Lagarlíf), talaði ég um skatta og gjöld í sjókvíaeldi. Aðeins þrjú lönd leggja sérstaka skatta eða gjöld á fiskeldi en miklar laga- og reglubreytingar hafa verið þar undanfarin ár í þessari ört vaxandi atvinnugrein. 🐟 Það er erfitt að segja til um hver borgi mest, en eins og sjá má á glærum 10-12 getur það verið breytilegt.