Nordic Fisheries Organisation

1
Nordic Fisheries Organisation

• Kyst og Fisk workshop
• Hirtshals August 29 to 31 2007
• Petur Bjarnason
• Fisheries Association of Iceland

2
The Topics of this lecture

• Nordic/Baltic fisheries different aproach.
• Wy should competitors co-operate?
• The market a demanding boss.
• A Nordic Fisheries Organisation is there any
  need and is there intrest?

3
Nordic/Baltic fisheries

• Nordic/Baltic fisheries are at least in three
  categories
• The EU countries (Denmark, Sweden and Finland)
• The Baltic countries
• The west-nordic countries (Norway, Iceland and
  Faroes)

4
Competitors in the markets

• The West-Nordic countries are mostly exporting
  seafood to the same markets.
• Denmark is importing seafood and re-exporting it
  to many markets.
• Sweden and Finland do have big domestic markets.
• The Baltic countries ??

5
The Markets

• The markets for nordic products must pay
  good/high price.
• Those markets are full of food and nobody chooses
  nordic seafood because of hunger. There are
  cheaper alternatives.
• There must be something special about the
  product.

6
The Markets (cont.)

• The image of fisheries contributes to the result
  in the markets.
• The image of fisheries is generally not so
  positive.
• The market is used as a tool for NGOs to follow
  up all kind of issues they are fighting for.

7
The Markets (cont.)

• Misleading information are often used to
  influence the buyers/consumers.
• The voice of the fisheries must be heard.
• The fishery industry must be active to take care
  of its own intrest in the market.
• Who can do that?

8
Nordic Fisheries Organisation

• We once had Nordiske Fiskernes
  Miljöorganisasjon that later on was changed to
  Nordiske Fiskernes Råd.
• The failing of this organisation was in my
  opinion of two kinds
• It was only ment for the fishing part of the
  industry.
• It was ment to do more than possible.

9
Nordic Fisheries Organisation (cont.)

• The lack of a formal forum for Nordic fisheries
  organisations has been discussed for some years.
• In the Minister Sommermeeting in Pori this summer
  it was decided to examine the possibility to
  establish an organisation that would be open for
  all organisations within the fisheries in the
  Nordic Countries.

10
Nordic Fisheries Organisation (cont.)

• The aim of the orgainsation should be
• to give information about the industry.
• to try to improve the image of the fisheries.
• to work on other mutual matters the members do
  agree upon.
• to be the natural party Nordic Council of
  Ministers can turn to in case of fisheries issues.

11
Nordic Fisheries Organisation (cont.)

• This new Nordic Fisheries Organisation is in the
  progress of being established so nothing is
  decided.
• It will be driven on project basis and not with
  any dues.
• It will be open for all organisations within
  Nordic fishing, fishprocessing and marketing
  seafood.

12
At the End

• The future of the new organisation is not known.
• I hope before in the end of October/November all
  preparations are finished and then we will see if
  the Nordic fisheries are willing to cooperate in
  this way.