Ársfundur evrópskra fiskimjöls- og lýsisframleiðenda

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to welcome you to this meeting here in Iceland. As you already know, Iceland’s economy is based on its fisheries. Slightly under 40% of our country’s foreign-currency earnings are generated by the fisheries sector. Fortunately, other industries have been growing in Iceland, so the share of fisheries exports in our foreign-currency earnings has been declining, but as recently as 10 years ago it was about 60%. Our most important fish species for the export market is of course cod, but the fishmeal industry is also very important. In 2002 we exported 386,000 tons of fishmeal and oil, which accounted for xx% of the total export value of our marine products.

This is the first time that the Union of Fishmeal and Fish-oil Manufacturers in the European Community has held its annual meeting in Iceland. Although Iceland is not a member of the EU, it is very important for us to have access to unions like yours. Iceland has adapted its domestic legislation to bring it into line with EU legislation on marine products, including fishmeal. Co-operation with you brings our fishmeal and fish-oil companies into closer contact with the EU authorities. It is very important for us all that organisations like yours should continue to keep the EU authorities well informed.

Environmental issues have for a long time been in the limelight in all political discussions, and they are assuming ever-greater importance. The environment is particularly important to a nation whose existence really depends on living in harmony with nature. Sustainability is a principle that we cherish in Iceland, and our aim is to pass our environment on to our children in a better condition than it was in when it was entrusted to us. Regarding fishing catch management, we hold scientific evaluation of the stocks in great regard. We have no better guide, so we put a lot of trust in science. Multi-species modelling is something to which we give a lot of thought, and pelagic species play a key role in this context.

Unfortunately, as you have found out, we can often find ourselves confronted by difficulties based on dogmatic and one-sided views. Not long ago, the basis of your activities was almost destroyed when the EU planned to approve legislation with unrealistically strict limits on the dioxin content of fishmeal and fish oil. Fortunately, the situation was resolved owing to firm and organized opposition.

At the present time, discussion is focussed on the dangers posed by heavy metals, arsenic and other toxins that can be absorbed by fish. Once again, your union will have to be vigilant and make sure that inflexible viewpoints do not dominate the discussion among the EU authorities and lead us into the same sort of cliff-hanger as happened with regard to dioxin. It will therefore be up to you to make your views known in a convincing and responsible way.

In my opinion we must strike at the root of these problems. We know that the toxins absorbed by fish originate in human industrial activity, so our priority should be to prevent these substances from being released into the environment.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I hope you have enjoyed what you have seen of Iceland and its people. I see from the agenda that you will be discussing some of the topics I have mentioned in this short address. I have no doubt that your discussions will be fruitful and make a valuable contribution to the future of the industry. I wish you every success.