Sustainable fishing
Our goals and ambitions within sustainable fisheries are based on UN Sustainable Development Goal no. 14
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 sustainable fisheries, the marine environment and new species.
Within the priority Sustainable Fishing, we focus on 3 subareas:
1. Sustainable 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.
Actions and results 2023
Based on Sustainable Fisheries Greenland’s (SFG) Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) concerning inshore Greenland halibut, this fishing is now subject to quotas, and three new management areas have been established.
A working group has been established to define targets for Greenland halibut fishing, and since inshore Greenland halibut is considered to be a “blind end stock”, the task is primarily to define whether fishing in the fjords takes place at the optimal time in terms of the growth and value of the fish.
Working groups have been established for management plans concerning offshore Greenland halibut in East Greenland, and marine ecosystems and habitats.
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.
Actions and results 2023
Royal Greenland’s capelin fishing has been MSC certified.
Salmon purchased for Royal Greenland’s Norwegian processing plant is Global Gap (GG)-certified, and a small element is purchased as ASC-certified.
Offshore Greenland halibut fishing in West Greenland has been re-certified.
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 small business development department in Greenland, staffed with a marine biologist and laboratory personnel, is focused 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.
Actions and results 2023
Despite significant efforts to develop new species, it has not yet been possible to commercialise any of the new fishing tested, or the seaweed production.
For sea urchin and whelk, there are challenges in obtaining permits to use suitable tools for this task, as it is necessary to scrape the seabed to catch the benthic species that live very close to the seabed, and do not move. This is a matter to be resolved in cooperation with Greenland's Ministry of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture, as fishing can be limited to selected locations.
