Nofima: Quality becoming worse
Nofima has been looking into the correlation between the choice of gear, vessel size, catch size and the quality of raw materials from the coastal fleet and has made findings that indicate the quality is deteriorating.
The results of the study indicate that structuring in the Norwegian coastal fleet has led to catch efficiency gaining greater priority than quality.
Hook-caught fish from small vessels gives the best quality and least variation, but nonetheless reduces these landings in the coastal fleet. The perception in the fishing industry is that the raw material quality from large catches from large vessels is the worst. The catch size has increased for all vessel groups.
Today’s pricing system gives room for fish buyers to make a deduction for poor quality and to pay more than the minimum price for premium quality. However, this occurs to a low degree. No documentation is currently available to show that a general raise in quality of the raw material provides increased added value throughout the value chain. In the study, Nofima points out that the regulatory process may be used to contribute to improving the quality of fresh raw materials.
“However, this should not be done until the potential of increased added value as a result of increased quality may be documented,” says project manager, Scientist Edgar Henriksen.
Nofima has written a fact sheet and a report looking at these conditions in more depth. These are available from the Nofima website but are in Norwegian language only.
This is one of the projects in a large research programme at Nofima, financed by the Fishery and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund (FHF).
