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Responsible fishing

Our goals and ambitions within responsible fisheries are based on UN Sustainable Development Goal no. 14

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Our fisheries must be managed in accordance with the scientific advice and certified by an independent third party. We procure fish and shellfish according to equivalent principles and contribute to building knowledge of fisheries, the marine environment and new species.

Within the priority Responsible Fishing, we focus on 3 subareas:

1. Our raw materials

We can categorise our raw materials as originating from ocean-going fishing, coastal fishing and direct purchases from local fishermen, as well as farmed species. 98% of the raw material volumes are sourced from ocean-going and coastal fishing, with an almost equal distribution between the two.   

Royal Greenland actively monitors fisheries requirements, reacts to scientifically proven changes in stocks and participates actively in the development of new technologies. 

2. Third Party Certification 

The implementation of the MSC standard for Greenlandic fisheries is based on strong partnerships between fishing companies, local fisheries associations, the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and public authorities. Royal Greenland plays an active role in this cooperation, including as a member of Sustainable Fisheries Greenland.   

 

 

Partnership – Sustainable Fisheries Greenland

Royal Greenland cooperates with several partners to ensure the long-term sustainability of fisheries in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. In Greenland, Sustainable Fisheries Greenland is the central body handling Greenlandic MSC applications and pre-assessments, in close cooperation with operators in the industry.

Visit SFG here

3. Commercialisation of New Species 

In the future, we must make better use of marine resources, so that we as a company can develop food products for an ever-increasing global population. 

One opportunity is that more species are developed commercially and made available to consumers as food products. This will benefit both our business and the society, since new products would also create more local employment. 

A business development department in Greenland, staffed with a marine biologist and laboratory personnel, focuses on trial fisheries and the development of such species as whelk, sea urchin, sea cucumber and seaweed. Fishing, cultivation and sampling are lengthy processes that, from season to season, give us more knowledge and enable us to develop new marine resources for the market.   

Nikoline Ziemer

Innovation in Greenland

The option to continuously commercialize new species depends to a large extent on being able to link theory and practice and perform experiments close to the raw material on a daily basis.