Welcome Letter

Dear delegate, Welcome to Iceland to the fourth Icelandic Fisheries Conference, ‘Fish Waste for Profit’, exploring the prospects for 100% utilisation. This conference handles a very important subject matter, which has seen Iceland pioneering and yielded significant growth in recent years. A study in cod catch indicates a value increase of 218 million XDR (approx. 36 billion ISK) between 1981 and 2017. This figure becomes even more impressive when you consider that gross catch tonnage decreased by 45% during this same period. (Source: Matis). This year we are fortunate to return to Reykjavik alongside the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition to run the fourth conference in the series.

Offerings this year include more speakers and topical presentations from Iceland and abroad, plus the opportunity to visit the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition at the end of the conference. Knowledge share with fellow attendees during the coffee breaks and lunches and socialise during the welcome drink’s reception at the close of conference day 1. Evident in this year’s lineup of speakers is the growing consciousness of the international fish and seafood community of the prospects of maximum utilisation. Innovative case studies focusing on the production of oils, enzymes, cosmetics, and many more niche products feature throughout the one and a half days of presentations. Thank you to all those who have contributed to the development of this year’s programme, in particular our chairman Thor Sigfusson from the Ocean Cluster, our speakers and sponsors including our Gold sponsor Rockwell Automation, and you, our delegates. On behalf of the Icefish Conference team, I hope you all will have a constructive, informative and enjoyable few days at the conference here in Reykjavik and I look forward to talking to you over the next two days.

Yours sincerely,

MARIANNE RASMUSSEN-COULLING

Events Director