Setanarrøða løgmans á aðalfundinum hjá Evropeiska alarafelagnum FEAP (European Aquaculture Producers) í Norðurlandahusinum 29. mai.
Ì røðuni greiddi løgmaður m.a. frá, at umstøðurnar fyri fiskaaling nærum er fullkomnar í Føroyum, og at føroyska alivinnan er burðardygg, bæði lívfrøðiliga og fíggjarliga. Hóast føroyska alivinnan var fyri stórum bakkøstum fyri fáum árum síðani, hevur vinnan megna at endurreisa seg aftur og stendur í dag fyri 22% av føroyska útflutninginum.
ES er týdningarmiklasti handilsfelagi hjá Føroyum og tí arbeiðir landsstýrið áhaldandi við at betra um viðurskiftini við ES.
(mynd: Løgmaður, Ragnar Joensen, formaður Havbúnaðarfelagnum og John Stefanis, presidentur í FEAP.)
Honourable President of the FEAP, Distinguished Members, Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to wish you all a very warm welcome to the Faroes. It is a pride and pleasure for me to note that FEAP’s annual meeting this year is being held here in the Faroes.
The history of Faroese fish farming only dates back 30 years. Our industry is sustainable, both financially and biologically. The industry is being carefully regulated and all appropriate measures have been put into practise in order to create conditions for our fish to thrive.
The conditions for fish farming are almost perfect in the Faroes. Both the temperature and the scope of changes to the temperature in ocean around us help create good conditions for fish farming.
When our fish farming industry began, there were 64 farmers and the average selling price was 120 Danish Krona per kilo (equating 16 Euro per kilo). Today, there are only six farmers in the business and the average selling price is on a whole different level. The fish farming industry has gone through a major transformation – from focusing on luxury production to focusing on mass production – where we today farm around 50.000 ton of fish.
The fish farming industry is a huge asset to our economy, both in terms of creating jobs and in terms of the export value. In 2008 this industry alone made up 22% of our export, and we expect this trend to continue or event grow stronger in the years to come.
Fortunately, the fish farming industry is of such a nature that it cannot be centralised to the same extent as other industries. Therefore, this industry creates jobs throughout the whole country. This a great benefit to us, as our population is scattered around a number of different islands.
We export most of our fish products to the EU and this is also the case for our fish farming. Therefore, the EU is our major trading partner. We are constantly working on further improving our relations with the EU, so that our industry can progress even further.
It is of great importance that the Faroese fish farming industry can cooperate with the likes of FEAP. Those engaged production industries like the fish farming industry can benefit greatly from joining forces by participating in federations like this one. By establishing contacts and exchanging knowledge, the industry as a whole will stand on stronger ground and this will work in everyone’s favour.
From your agenda I have observed that you will discuss topics related to the environment, the health of fish and marked situation. These are all topics of great importance and this clearly highlights that you take all aspects of the industry seriously.
I hope that gained some useful experience from yesterday’s technical excursion, and that this gave you a firsthand impression of the conditions in which our industry operates.
I am very impressed by the manner in which our fish farming industry so quickly has been able to get back on its feet, after suffering some major setbacks a few years ago. Our industry has showed great will and determination, and has managed to rise from the ashes in the matter of very short time. The industry has been able to adapt quickly and to make the most out today’s cutting edge technology.
My dear guests!
I can see you have a tightly packed schedule during you stay in the Faroes with numerous meetings to attend. I nonetheless hope that you also take the opportunity to explore our islands and meet my fellow countrymen. Should you not have time on your hands during this visit, then you are always welcome to pay us another visit in the near future.
Finally, I would like to thank you for your time and consideration. I wish you all the best of luck with this annual meeting, and hope that you enjoy yourself while you are in the Faroes.