The Annual General Meeting 2019 was held on 28 May. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Industry, owner of Fiskaaling, praised the results. The Ministry expressed that Fiskaaling executes its mission competently by producing knowledge for sustainable Faroese aquaculture.
Annual activities and audited books were reviewed as Jóhanna Lava Køtlum, CEO, presented the state of the limited company. She highlighted a total of 11 research projects during 2018, and the company performed around 30 service and councelling services throughout the year.
Among the diverse research projects there are wave and current conditions, aquaculture environment and well-being of salmon in harsh location cages, and testing new production methods. Other tasks include e.g. lice countings, gill studies, lumpfish studies, sea trout, and smoltification and stress research.
The synergy of Fiskaalings’s research and service operations are a base for developing new and improved knowledge that benefits the aquaculture industry. “By selling off Fiskaaling’s roe production, the company is now much better equipped to concentrate on producing knowledge,” says Minister Poul Michelsen.
Research Goals
2018 marked the first year of the 2018-2020 Research Agreement between Fiskaaling and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Industry. Introducing the UN Global Sustainability Goals, this is done to demonstrate how Fiskaaling’s operations are in compliance with global calls for sustainable and responsible conduct. Thus, the Global Goals are to be manifest in Fiskaalings basic approach to all research activities.
In 2018, efforts were made to plot in a research direction for Fiskaaling. Five main research goals were identified, including a number of sub-goals. The main goals represent:
- Sustainable utilisation of fjords
- Land-based aquaculture
- Lice and disease
- Fish welfare
- New opportunities for production (i.e. new methods, new areas, and new species)
The research goals have been presented to the aquaculture industry, who in turn have commented and put forward suggestions for actual research projects.
Results
Research activities at Fiskaaling have produced real results that have provided the Faroese industry with new and useful knowledge. This presents the research activities with a good operating basis.
Fiskaaling participates in international research projects. This means that the company has access to an even wider range of knowledge and expertise which may be utilised in a Faroese context.
Financially, Fiskaaling depends on the annual appropriation from the national budget for aquaculture purposes. The public involvement secures wholly or partly that Fiskaaling maintains the ability to finance projects that produce aquaculture knowledge. Additional income is generated from the various services that Fiskaaling provides for the Faroese aquaculture industry, as well as international research grants for various research projects.
The result of the year showed a profit of 2 million DKK.
The Board
There were no new elections for the board. However, Ms Ása Johannesen is new staff representative for Mr. Øystein Patursson, who is currently on leave:
- Kristoffur Laksá, chairman
- Turið Mørkøre, member
- Niels Winther, member
- Gunnvør á Norði, staff representative
- Ása Johannesen, staff representative
For further information, please contact Ms Jóhanna Lava Køtlum, CEO at Fiskaaling, phone +298 774 747 or mail to johanna@fiskaaling.fo
