Thirteen awards were bestowed at the 8th Icelandic Fisheries Awards, including two that recognised the outstanding career contributions made to the sector
Hosted by the Icelandic Ministry of Industries and Innovation and the City of Kópavogur, the awards took place on 8 June 2022, following the first day of the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition.
First introduced in 1999, the accolades distinguish excellence within Icelandic and international fisheries, highlighting the most innovative and ground-breaking products and outstanding service. This year’s event was sponsored by Vonin, Bureau Veritas and Morgunblaðið.
The winners of the 8th Icelandic Fisheries Awards were:
- · Best New Product launched at show – Hampiðjan’s fibre optic cable
- · Best individual stand up to 50m2 – Kaeling & Micro
- · Best individual stand over 50m2 – Baader
- · Best national, regional or group stand – Pavilion of Denmark
- · Outstanding Processor – Bakkafrost
- · Outstanding Catching and Farming equipment supplier, large company >50 staff – Wisefish
- · Outstanding Catching and Farming equipment supplier, small company <50 staff – Olen
- · Outstanding Processing sector value creation, large company >50 staff – Saeplast
- · Outstanding Processing sector value creation, small company >50 staff – ALVAR
- · Smart award for by-product innovation – Marine Collagen
- · Overall outstanding supplier – Vonin
- · Outstanding Icelandic Skipper – Gísli V Jónsson
- · Outstanding Icelandic achievement – Guðmundur Gunnarsson
Outstanding Icelandic Skipper, Gísli V Jónsson has been at sea since he was 15 and has been skipper since his early twenties. Over a long career he has been successful across a variety of fisheries, and retired from fishing recently, having joined Grindavík company Vísir for what was expected to be a few months – although this turned into 25 years. He skippered both the original Páll Jónsson, and its replacement that was delivered in 2020, having been closely involved with the design and build of the first new longliner of its size to be built for Icelandic owners for many years.
The Outstanding Achievement award recipient Guðmundur Gunnarsson has worked on the net loft floor, managed sales and been involved in fishing gear design during his long career at Hampiðjan. He’s known around the world as the godfather of the Gloria, having been at the centre of the development of the pelagic trawl that has since the 1990s been through a great many versions for a variety of fisheries.
