As the aquaculture sector in Iceland has grown in recent years, Icelandic Aquaculture (Landssamband Fiskeldisstöðva – LF), the association representing Iceland’s fish farmers, is merging with Fisheries Iceland (Samtök Fyrirtækja í Sjávarútvegi – SFS) which has traditionally represented the fishing vessel owners.
‘The tasks faced by Icelandic Aquaculture have become more and increasingly varied. The board ’s opinion is that these tasks are better handled from within SFS,’ Icelandic Aquaculture has stated.
Icelandic Aquaculture chairman and former Minister of Fisheries Einar K. Guðfinnsson commented that as aquaculture has continued to expand, these tasks have become larger and in some ways more complex.
‘I feel it is a logical step in the development of aquaculture in Iceland to be part of an organisation with a longstanding background. Salmon farming has the potential to be a key industry in Iceland in the same way that fisheries have been for a long time, and could become one of the pillars of Iceland’s economic wellbeing,’ he said.
SFS chairman Jens Garðar Helgason said that he welcomes the addition of the aquaculture sector to the organisation, and that several farming companies have already been part of SFS.
‘I’m looking forward to this co-operation and welcome their arrival,’ he said.
‘This will both strengthen SFS and the good work that Icelandic Aquaculture has done up to now. The next weeks and months will see us combining our activities within SFS and I hope that this work will be complete before the summer.’
Einar K. Guðfinnsson will remain as part of the SFS team and will focus on issues concerning aquaculture.
