Iceland’s recently appointed Fisheries Minister, Jon Bjarnason, paid a flying visit to Hull’s Fishgate trading centre on 9 June to gain first-hand knowledge of the ''traceability trail'' supporting his government’s sustainable fishing policies.
The new minister, who was accompanied by Fridrik Jon Arngrimsson, chief executive of LIU, the Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners Federation, called in on the Humber ports on his way to a sustainable fisheries presentation at the Icelandic Embassy in London.
Fishgate chairman Arthur Cook welcomed the Minister to the early morning market and explained how vital Fishgate’s computerised, controlled environment fish processing and handling system had become to maintaining the quality and value of hard pressed resources.
Mr Bjarnason and his party toured the processing lines and auction hall before visiting the auction theatre to see the computerised auction in action.
The Icelandic government is exploring the possibility of EU membership as a possible relief from its current economic problem but the Fisheries Minister made clear his, and his party’s, opposition to the idea.
“I don’t believe in knocking on a door you have no intention of entering,” he said.
