Norwegian longline operators Carisma Fish and Ervik Havfiske are set to merge, having already amalgamated their sales activities last year under the Arctic Linefish name.
Under the agreement expected to be finalised in May, Carisma will acquire a 25% stake in Ervik Havfiske while Carisma Fish owner Arild Aarvik joins Ervik’s management. Already one of the largest dedicated longline companies in existence, the merger with Carisma Fish brings that company’s quotas into the combined venture – close to five cod quotas and 1.4 saithe quotas.
‘We are looking to expand our opportunities and I look forward to working with Arild Aarnes and Kare Furnes, both of whom have built up and managed reliable companies,’ Stig Ervik said in a statement.
Ervik Havfiske is already expanding, with the order placed recently for two new longliners to be built at the Tersan yard in Turkey to operate in Norwegian waters, as well as two further toothfish longliners, due to be delivered shortly by Tersan, for joint venture operations in the South Atlantic.
