Iceland review - 2002, Qupperneq 64

62 ICELAND REVIEW
THE 2002 ICELANDIC FISHERIES EXHIBITION
Come and See the Show
The 2002 Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition is upon us. This year it
will be held in Smárinn, the sports and exhibition facility at
Kópavogur valley (capitol area). This year’s exhibition, which
runs from 4-7 September, promises to surpass the 1999 show in
all respects.
The Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition has established itself as one
of the “must-see” shows in the fishing industry throughout the
world. The reason Iceland garnishes so much attention is that the
country is, unquestionably, at the forefront of the fishing industry.
Fish or fish-related products account for 72% of the country’s
export. The country ranks 13 on the FAO World Catch List with
1.7 million tonnes. Iceland manages its fish stocks with great care
and has not been affected by the recent EU catch restrictions. The
country is routinely on top of fishing technology. All of this
makes the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition an ideal opportunity to
meet and discuss new requirements and innovations.
“Iceland is known throughout the world for its total solution,”
says Ellen Ingvadóttir, PR manager of the show. “The Icelandic
Fisheries Exhibition covers every aspect of the commercial fish-
ing industry, from locating, catching, processing, packaging to
marketing of the final product. It’s considered to be highly tech-
nical and advanced.”
The sales manager for the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition,
Bjarni Thór Jónsson, echoes these sentiments. He also believes
that visitors want to take advantage of Iceland’s expertise
because there is so much activity and innovation in Iceland’s
industry.
“We’re different from other shows,” says Jónsson, “because
there are more running lines and machines here; more products
shown; more action than in other exhibitions.” He also goes on to
say that because of Iceland’s centralised location between Europe
and North America, Iceland is more convenient.
Due to the show’s respect throughout the industry, it attracts a
wide range of exhibitors. In 1999, there were 850 companies and
almost 17,000 visitors from 42 different countries attending the
exhibition. Moving to a new exhibition facility in Kópavogur in
1999 gave exhibitors more space. This year’s show will be even
bigger, with upwards of 13,000 sq metres of space in the differ-
ent exhibition halls. There will be more exhibitors, and the city of
Kópavogur has provided organisers with everything they need
for a first-rate show.
“The city of Kópavogur has gone out of their way to facilitate
our needs,” says Ingvadóttir. “We’re in the new sports hall – the
largest of it’s kind in Iceland – and they’ve expanded parking
areas and made everything more accessible for our guests.”
Running in conjunction with this year’s show will be seminars
arranged by Iceland’s Ministry of Fisheries. These seminars will
include keynote speakers discussing varied topics, such as new
catch techniques and sustainable utilisation of the ocean’s
resources. Also included at this year’s show will be the
announcement of the Icelandic Fisheries Awards 2002. The
awards ceremony will take place on Friday, 6 September, at
Broadway in Hótel Ísland, with 14 prestigious awards handed out
to both Icelandic and foreign companies who have excelled in
various categories within the fishing industry.
Most exciting, though, are the new innovations introduced and
displayed each year. It’s what Ingvadóttir enjoys most about the
exhibitions.
“At every show, we see amazing developments within the
industry. It’s one reason I look forward to this year’s show.”
The new exhibition hall in Kópavogur
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