Alþjóðleg sjávarútvegsráðstefna í Lilleström í Noregi (North Atlantic Seafood Forum - NASF), 4. mars 2008
State of the fish stocks in the Icelandic waters
-How may the resources’ continued sustainability be ensured?
Address by the Icelandic Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture,
Einar K. Gudfinnsson
Given at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Norway, 4 March 2008
Mr. Chairman, Ministers of Fisheries, ladies and gentlemen.
I am honored and pleased for this opportunity to participate in the North Atlantic Seafood Forum and to address the forum in the third consecutive year. There are many factors that need to be discussed in this field, however, today I will first and foremost focus on two issues: first, the state of the main whitefish stocks in the Icelandic waters, and second, the comments by certain environmentalist organizations that literally seem to have no scruples whatsoever in their unsophisticated and misleading comments about the fish stocks, and thereby damage the good reputation of a respected fishing nation.
Iceland is among the leading fishing nations of the world and considering that the first part of the forum is titled: Outlook for seafood supply, demand and prices, I wish to use this opportunity to briefly address the state of the fish stocks in the Icelandic waters. Unfortunately, we hear all kinds of misleading and incorrect statements on these matters, not least by known organizations that link their names to environmental protection; organizations claiming that their comments are both responsible and realistic. We all know this is frequently far from being true.
Various factors must be taken into account when we consider the prospects in supply and the current possibilities of the whitefish markets. We are facing the cod fishery at the North Atlantic still decreasing, or from 1.1 million tons in 2007 to 700,000 tons in 2008. Additionally, we hear of the decreasing supply of whitefish from the North Pacific Ocean. Naturally, we focus our attention on farmed species at the North Atlantic or from more distant areas when we try to contemplate what the development will be.
Aside from providing you with information about the condition and the state of the fish stocks in the Icelandic waters, which I know well, I would like to touch on a few issues in my address today. I will furthermore discuss general views about the utilization of the fish stocks and what is needed for things to progress positively, but first, a few comments about the whitefish farming at the North Atlantic.
It is fair to say that our attention has increasingly been aimed during the last few months towards the opportunities entailed in cod farming. The main reason, of course, is the recession in the ground fish catches and the possibility of meeting current demand with high-quality farmed fish, that satisfies the quality demands of the market, for example, in terms of product freshness, which the conventional fisheries have more difficulty meeting. An attractive option is not least being able to tackle cod farming in light of the unutilized investments entailed in sophisticated, under-used technical equipment in fish processing, and a marketing system where farmed fish could easily be added. Even though there are plans in Norway, Britain, Ireland and Iceland, just to name a few examples, of carefully structuring large-scale cod farming over the next few years, the fact remains that the current demand cannot be met with farmed cod.
We still have some way to go for such farming being a sound option, for it literally being feasible and economical. According to experts in this field, the production costs, not least of fry, must be lowered, and the quality and properties of the fry must be such that the fish grows fast and takes feed that must be both in extensive supply and at reasonable prices. Last but not least, wild cod must be bred and the best properties of farmed fish must be enhanced in order for the market price more than covering the farming costs. Work is currently taking place on these factors and significant achievements have been made, even though we still have some way to go, as stated earlier. In order for cod to meet our expectations at the whitefish market, however, we must also focus seriously on environmental factors and measures against pollution, both of which are becoming increasingly important from a marketing point of view. Additionally, we must emphasize preventive measures against disease, which is an area where very limited progress has been made in respect of farmed cod.
This fact further underlines more than anything the importance of careful management of the fisheries from the wild fish stocks, which should be possible even though some things have gone amiss in recent years. Sophisticated catch control has become more essential than ever, both with respect to stock sustainability and their sensible utilization. Also, for marketing reasons, a negative image of the fisheries in the public eye due, among other things, to the bad state of some fish stocks, and the clear demand of modern times on the sensible and careful utilization of Earth’s natural resources.
Ladies and gentlemen
Good fisheries management is based on the principal views of sustainability, the pre-cautionary approach of allowing the resource and nature the benefit of doubt, and on us exercising utmost caution. Good fisheries management is based on research yielding necessary knowledge to prevent us from making mistakes; instead guiding us in an informed manner towards sustainable utilization. It is based on a carefully planned and detailed fisheries management system that limits access to a limited resource as necessary, together with an efficient monitoring system and detailed follow-up measures.
Our guideline in Iceland has been the necessity to invest considerable funds in fish research although it may be assumed that some, not least the scientific community, feels that more is needed. Truth be told - the high level of technology constantly renders it easier to catch the quantity allowed; hence detailed stock assessment is more essential than ever as well as the level of knowledge being higher than ever in order to avoid things moving in the wrong direction. Although much has been said about the Icelandic fisheries management system, particularly the initial allocation of catch quotas and transferable quotas, there is no doubt that the system has indeed worked against the fishing fleets’ high-level catch capacity and the extensive competition over a limited resource. It may therefore still be claimed that most fishable stocks in the Icelandic waters are in good or fair state. Additionally, there is no doubt that the general acceptance that has been reached on a science-based management of the fish stocks, the knowledge and the experience, including the regulatory framework, the enforcement and control, are the principal reasons for the situation being as it is today.
It can never be overemphasized in this respect how solid and mutual communications between parties, based on mutual respect and knowledge, play an important role in the creation of results. Active collaboration of scientists, the authorities and the fishing industry is of utmost importance. If the rules of the game are clear and if the role of everyone is well defined, a close collaboration between parties should not affect the important impartiality of scientists and advisors, however, one must always keep in mind that negotiating one’s way out of reality is not the way to go; instead we must of course base our decisions on facts and conclusions.
So, - what is the situation in the very country of this person standing before you - speaking so boldly about perfect circumstances? Well, the situation is not perfect although it must said that much has been achieved.
From an economic point of view, cod is by far the most important fish stock for Iceland. Substantial capital has been invested in cod research in the past few decades, and the cod fishery is generally the most important focus of the fisheries management system. Though it is clear that there are very few cases where a cod stock as strong as Iceland’s has been maintained through active fisheries management, restraint must be exerted through systematic measures if we are to guarantee steady and increased yields from the stock. With that as a guideline, I decided last summer to follow to the letter the recommendations of our experts and cut cod quotas by 30% to 130 thousand tonnes, at least for the next 1-2 years, so as to expedite the growth of the stock, especially in view of the enhanced likelihood of stronger recruitment in the years to come. This decision has been a painful one in the short term, however, it is important to protect the long-term interests of all who benefit from the exploitation of the cod stocks near Iceland. It is also consistent with responsible fisheries management and is an element in guaranteeing the sustainability of the fish stocks.
The pollock stock near Iceland is primarily a local one, whose size has fluctuated somewhat in accordance with variable year class strength. This is therefore a situation requiring hands-on fisheries management. At present, the condition of the stock is fairly good, and has been improving in recent times. Hence, we may expect continued good yields from this stock, or about 60,000 tons.
In the past decade, the Icelandic government has dedicated substantial financial resources to research on the redfish stock, both within and outside the Icelandic territorial waters – especially in the area between Iceland and Greenland, where international vessels exploit these stocks just as Icelanders do. The Icelandic government has deemed it as vital that we respond in a responsible manner in collaboration with the other nations that fish for redfish. It appears that this international collaboration is more successful now than it has been in the past, and indeed, it is a most important and welcome development if we can work together to manage the redfish fisheries in international waters more systematically.
Haddock is the ground fish species in Iceland that has clearly strengthened the most in the Icelandic waters in recent years. The catch more than doubled during the last decade and is currently about 100,000 tons. This increase is by en large due to a relatively moderate catch effort coinciding with favorable environmental conditions that have expanded the haddock’s distribution area in the Icelandic waters. It should be pointed out in this respect that prior to this period the distribution area of haddock was limited to Iceland’s southern coastline and along the west coast, whereas after the year 2000 haddock is also equally commonly found near northern Iceland. Even though haddock does not counter-balance the value of the cod recession, the importance of this development cannot be minimized when looking at the ground fish catch as a whole.
There is no doubt that stringent fisheries management generates good results. The last few years, however, are an important reminder to all of us to be on guard, to obtain the necessary information, to draw on such experience and to enter into responsible decisions based on the best available scientific knowledge. We, who base our livelihood not least on fisheries and nature’s resources, have been reminded of how dependent we are on the forces and whims of nature. After the turn of the century, we have seen conditions at the Icelandic fishing grounds that are unlike that we experienced during the last 25 years of the last century. This has strengthened the state of haddock, monkfish (angler fish) and other stocks, whereas other stocks have weakened.
We cannot rule out that the warming in recent years and growth of whale stocks have weakened the cod stock in the Icelandic waters. However the most obvious impact on the state of the stock today which we can most obviously influence is the effort by the fishing fleet. Clearly, the changes in the conditions in the ocean around Iceland have had much impact on the capelin by the Icelandic coast, the spreading and migration of capelin, and possibly also its stock size. This in turn could have a major impact on the growth and yield of the cod stock in the long run, as capelin is the most important feed of cod, and in fact of other key species in the ecosystem of and near Iceland.
Ladies and gentlemen
Recent years have seen the Icelanders – both authorities and industry representatives - having to spend increasing time and effort explaining their fisheries policy, constantly pointing out and emphasizing how it is based on the ideology of sustainable utilization. One of the reasons for this time and effort are all kinds of nonsense and incorrect statements. Known organizations have literally presented distorted information that has proved difficult to correct. An example of this is the well known organization, World Wildlife Fund, the WWF, which has asserted in some of its publications and websites, among other things, that cod is facing extinction. WWF and others which behave likewise are acting as if there were only one fish stock in the world, called cod, and is subject to the same kind of fisheries management worldwide.
Needless to say, it is totally intolerable for a responsible fishing nation being subjected to such unbelievable distortions that damage our reputation and cause problems at our markets. One cannot but wonder why an organization that wants to be taken seriously behaves in this manner?
We, the Icelandic people, have proved by our actions that we are prepared to enter into difficult decisions that cause temporary economic difficulties, decreased national income, and market restraints in the short run if the result of such measures strengthen our fish stocks. It is our firm belief that we have in fact only one real and responsible option - namely to work on grounds of sustainable utilization!
Last summer, for example, I decided on a considerable reduction of the cod catch permits. This decision resulted in a significant loss of income, not least in the area where I live - my constituency. Of course, it is tempting for a politician to opt for another and more relaxing path, namely a path that would seem to lead to temporary political popularity. I chose not to! My commitments and duties, and those of the government, are for the future and the concept that we must utilize our natural resources in the spirit of sustainability; a view made world-known by the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, in a report referred to as the Brundtland Report. The core of her views is: “?development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
In our capacity as responsible utilizer of natural resources, including marine resources, we only request one thing: to be judged by our actions and decisions! Fortunately, Iceland is respected for acting responsibly in fisheries affairs. This is a reputation we will safeguard. We believe that we have proved that we certainly stand by the international acknowledgement our fish enjoys. If only for this reason, it is utterly unacceptable that unsophisticated and unfounded propaganda of individual parties that cannot be bothered to seek the truth is heard without criticism.
Ladies and gentlemen
I take the liberty of claiming that the state of the fish stocks in the Icelandic waters indicates that some achievements have certainly been made in recent years and decades - that today we operate a solid fishing industry capable of adjusting to changed circumstances. This does not mean, however, that we cannot do better - far from it! The task at hand, of course, is to do better, to learn from experience. In this respect, we must comprehend the importance of us basing our actions on caution and knowledge, accepting that our knowledge is limited and that the conditions are constantly changing - we must stay alert and adjust to such changes. Let us remember that the forces of nature cannot be controlled, however, through sensible fisheries management we may affect developments.
Thank you.