Former Norwegian Fishermen’s Association director Reidar Nilson and his son Remi Andre both lost their lives at sea on Sunday. They are believed to have been on their way from Hasvik to fish for king crab in Tanafjord when their boat was reported missing.
The wreck of the boat was subsequently located and Remi Andre Nilsen’s body has bene recovered. The search is still underway for Reidar Nilson.
‘Reidar led the organisation for twelve years. Many of us worked closely with him and it is especially sad to receive notification of such a loss,’ said Norwegian Fishermen’s Association director Kåre Heggebø.
‘Reidar Nilsen participated in the Fishermen’s Association’s national meeting last November and once again showed his strong community and business commitment when he participated several times in the debate from the rostrum during the meeting.’
He was one of the driving forces for increasing co-operation and contact between Norwegian and Russian fishermen and was at the heart of initiating a collaboration between the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association and two Russian fisheries organisations based in Murmansk in the mid-2000s. This co-operation is still functioning and is considered a key co-operation channel between the industries in both countries.
He had stood down in 2013 as the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association’s director, having served the maximum allowable term. In 2015 he was appointed an honorary member of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association for his extensive involvement over several decades in the organisation.
‘With his sociable nature and generous nature, he generated a great deal of trust, both among the fishermen’s organisations and in political life,” said then-director Kjell Ingebrigtsen about his predecessor when he was awarded the organisation’s highest honour.
Reidar Nilsen was a board member of Finnmark Fiskarlag for ten years, including six as chairman.
‘Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his family,’ said Kåre Heggebø.
