Distinguished (dear) conference guests, ladies and gentlemen

I do welcome the opportunity to accompany and give my support to Icelandic fisheries (seafood) companies in their marketing effort here in Spain. As many of you know, the Spanish market for salted cod (baccalau) is very valuable for the Icelandic export industries as fisheries constitute one of the main pillars of our economy.

Sustainable fishing practices have come high on the international agenda in recent years. This has led to intensive debates on what the ground rules in that respect should be (what the minimum requirements in that respect should be). Iceland has taken active part in elaborating these rules and standards in international fora such as the FAO and we have strived to adapt our national legislation to accord with international agreements on approved fishing practices and protection of the marine environment.

You may be familiar with the recent Iceland Responsible Fisheries marketing programme signifying certified Icelandic origin of the seafood products and responsible fisheries. I am proud to say that this work was initiated by the seafood industry itself and supported by the Ministry, as a response to market demands for sustainable utilization of marine resources. The programme, built on a joint Statement on Responsible Fisheries from 2007, was designed to inform buyers on how fisheries management is conducted in Iceland and that controls would be based on the best scientific knowledge.

Very importantly, it also states that the Government is firmly committed to comply with international laws and agreements regarding access to marine resources and responsibke fisheries in general.

Ladies and gentlemen

I am very pleased to see how well this initiative by the Icelandic seafood industry has been received in many parts of the world. I do hope that the Spanish market will seriously consider making use of the logo as a clear sign to Spanish consumers that the Icelandic fish they are buying is harvested in a sustainable and responsible way.