ICELANDIC AND NORWEGIAN FISHERIES MINISTERS VISIT HB GRANDI

Norwegian minister of fisheries Elisabeth Aspaker is currently in Iceland to attend a Nordic conference on fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture, food and forestry that opened today in Selfoss. She and her entourage took the opportunity early yesterday morning to visit HB Grandi, accompanied by Iceland’s minister of fisheries Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson.

‘We’re used to welcoming guests from abroad and the Norwegian minister was given a good reception. She was given an introduction to the company, a tour of the production area at the Nordurgardur factory and she watched landing from fresher trawler Sturlaugur H Bödvarsson at the quayside. Our guests were then invited for a lunch of delicious redfish in the canteen,’ said HB Grandi’s marketing manager Brynjólfur Eyjólfsson.

The minister was welcomed by CEO Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson along with groundfish departmental manager Torfi Th Thorsteinsson and Brynjólfur Eyjólfsson. The Norwegian party included ambassador to Iceland Dag Wernø Holter, director general of the department of fisheries and aquaculture Vidar Landmark, head of department Astrid Holtan, head of communications Ingrid Dåsnes and ministerial adviser Tore Riise. Permanent secretary Kristján Skarphéðinsson, deputy director general Jóhann Guðmundsson, and the minister’s assistant Helga Sigurrós Valgeirsdóttir attended from the Icelandic Ministry of Industry and Innovation.

According to the ministry website, Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson will chair the meeting at Selfoss, as Iceland this year holds the chair of Nordic co-operation.