(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
India and Iceland are teaming up to boost their fisheries and aquaculture sectors, with a big focus on sustainable practices and cutting-edge tech. This exciting partnership emerged during a three-day visit by an Indian delegation to Reykjavik from September 10-12, as shared by officials from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
The trip aimed to build stronger ties between the two nations in fisheries and aquaculture. Key goals included strategic partnerships, attracting investments, and sharing innovative ideas for sustainable blue growth. On Wednesday, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Special Secretary in the ministry, met top leaders from the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) in Reykjavik. They talked about creating fisheries clusters in India with zero-waste methods to cut down on pollution and waste.
Both countries see huge potential here. Iceland brings its expertise in eco-friendly marine tech, while India offers massive production scale. Discussions covered investment chances for Icelandic seafood companies in India and ways to strengthen business links between companies on both sides. They highlighted innovations in fish processing, adding value to products, tracking supply chains, and certifications to make the industry more sustainable and competitive.
Officials from India’s National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) shared the country’s vision for developing these clusters, pointing out opportunities in investments, new ideas, and global teamwork. Icelandic firms like BRIM and Hampidjan, along with the IOC, opened up about their zero-waste success stories and advanced processing tools. India’s Ambassador to Iceland, R Ravindra, and other embassy staff joined the talks. From Iceland’s side, key players included Thor Sigfusson, founder and chairman of the IOC, and Bala Kamallakharan, founder of Startup Iceland.
Mishra also toured MATIS, Iceland’s top food and biotech research firm. There, experts explained their work on food safety, biotech, and using marine resources wisely. This visit sparked ideas for joint research and tech sharing to strengthen India’s fisheries supply chain.
The day before, on Tuesday, the delegation checked out the Icelandic Fishing Expo 2025 at Laugardalsholl in Reykjavik. Mishra chatted with Iceland’s Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrin Fridriksson, about the latest in fisheries and aquaculture. They explored ways to deepen institutional and business connections.
The Indian team connected with major Icelandic fishing groups, agencies, and business owners to pick up tips on innovative tech and sustainable fishing practices. In focused sessions, they pinpointed hot areas for future work, like setting up zero-waste fisheries clusters. They also discussed deploying deep-sea fishing boats with onboard processing, transhipment features, value addition, and strong tracking systems.
Training programs for deep-sea fishing tech took center stage, along with using advanced vessel monitoring systems (VMS) for better regulation and resource management. The talks touched on teaming up for trout farming, health checks, and marketing in India’s hilly regions. Plus, they eyed special tech for tuna and similar fish in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
This visit opens a bright new page in India-Iceland relations. It could lead to shared research, factory partnerships, and growth driven by fresh innovations in fisheries and aquaculture.
For context, the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) is a Reykjavik-based network launched in 2011 by Thor Sigfusson. It connects entrepreneurs, scientists, investors, and ocean businesses to push sustainable marine growth. Their big push? Using 100% of every fish caught to create value without waste.
Back home, India’s government is rolling out a cluster-based model under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to make fisheries more competitive and organized. They’ve already approved 34 such clusters across states and union territories. These clusters group nearby businesses of all sizes—from small fishers to big exporters—along the entire chain, from catching fish to selling abroad.
This setup builds strong links, fixes supply chain issues, and sparks new jobs. It cuts costs, encourages new ideas, and promotes green practices by involving fishers, farmers, self-help groups, processors, startups, and more. It even links with other ministries like Food Processing Industries and MSME, plus bodies like NABARD, for extra support.
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