Research project on fisheries and climate change launched
A large research project, MeCCAM, has officially launched under the leadership of Sjókovin. From 3–5 June, researchers from nine countries will meet in the Faroe Islands for the kick-off meeting.
This is an EU-funded project that aims to develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt European fisheries to climate change.
The project has been awarded DKK 33.5 million in funding from the EU. There are 16 partners involved, and participants from the Faroe Islands include Varðin, Havstovan, and Sjókovin, which is leading the project.
40 researchers and experts
From 3–5 June, a kick-off meeting will be held in the Faroe Islands, with 40 researchers and experts from nine European countries taking part. These participants come from some of the leading research institutions and companies within the fisheries sector, and together they will work on finding solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change on fisheries.
One of the project’s case studies is pelagic fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic. In this case study, several fishing companies will test new technologies and initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of fisheries, including Varðin and the Icelandic company Brim.
The project will also analyse the relationship between fuel consumption, fishing grounds, seasonality, and product quality in cooperation with pelagic processing plants. In addition, the project places strong emphasis on improving data collection and analysis to enhance fisheries management and sustainability reporting.
At the meeting, which will be held at Hotel Hafnia, participants will present plans for how the project activities will be organised. The Minister of Fisheries, Jóhan Christiansen, will open the meeting, and greetings will also be delivered by representatives from institutions under the European Commission. On Wednesday afternoon, there will also be a visit aboard Gøtunes, where the skipper and crew will give a tour and explain the fishing operations.
