India, Iceland collaborate in zero-waste fisheries, know-how switch

New Delhi

India and Iceland have agreed to step up cooperation within the fields of fisheries and aquaculture, specializing in sustainable blue development, zero-waste interventions, and know-how switch, throughout a three-day high-level go to by an Indian delegation to Reykjavik from September 10-12, stated an official.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying launch, the go to aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation between India and Iceland within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors by way of strategic partnerships, funding promotion, and the alternate of innovation.

On Wednesday, Likhi held a high-level assembly with senior representatives of the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) in Reykjavik, the place discussions centered on collaboration in growing fisheries and aquaculture clusters in India, notably by way of zero-waste interventions.

The deliberations underscored the potential for leveraging Iceland’s technological management in sustainable marine practices alongside India’s expansive manufacturing capabilities. Both sides explored funding alternatives for the Icelandic seafood processing business in India, together with methods to deepen business-to-business (B2B) linkages.

Emphasis was positioned on innovation-driven cooperation in fish processing, worth addition, traceability, and certification to boost sustainability and competitiveness within the sector.

Senior officers from the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) offered India’s imaginative and prescient for fisheries and aquaculture cluster growth, highlighting alternatives in funding, innovation, and worldwide collaboration. Icelandic corporations, together with BRIM and Hampidjan, together with the Iceland Ocean Cluster, shared insights into Iceland’s pioneering zero-waste fashions and cutting-edge processing applied sciences.

The assembly additionally noticed the participation of  R Ravindra, Ambassador of India to Iceland, Embassy of India, Reykjavik, together with different senior officers from the Embassy of India in Reykjavik. At the identical time, outstanding Icelandic contributors included  Thor Sigfusson, Founder and Chairman of the Iceland Ocean Cluster, and Bala Kamallakharan, Founder of Startup Iceland.

Likhi additionally visited MATIS, a number one Icelandic meals and biotech R&D firm, the place he was briefed on their work in meals security, biotechnology, and sustainable marine useful resource utilisation. The go to opened new avenues for collaboration in analysis and know-how switch to bolster India’s fisheries worth chain.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Indian delegation visited the Icelandic Fishing Expo 2025 at Laugardalsholl in Reykjavik, the place Likhi met with Hanna Katrin Fridriksson, Minister of Industry, Iceland. The two sides mentioned developments within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and explored alternatives for strengthening institutional and industrial ties.

The Indian delegation additionally interacted with main Icelandic fishing associations, companies, and entrepreneurs to study modern applied sciences and greatest practices in sustainable fishing. In a separate thematic dialogue, each side recognized a number of key areas for future cooperation, together with the institution of fisheries and aquaculture clusters with zero-waste interventions, and the deployment of deep-sea fishing vessels outfitted with onboard processing services, transhipment capabilities, worth addition mechanisms, and strong traceability and certification techniques.

Emphasis was additionally laid on coaching and capability constructing in deep-sea fishing applied sciences, alongside the adoption of superior vessel monitoring and surveillance (VMS) techniques to boost regulatory oversight and useful resource administration. Additionally, each side explored collaboration in selling trout farming, well being administration, and advertising in India’s hilly states, in addition to in growing specialised fishing applied sciences for tuna and tuna-like species within the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

The go to marks a promising chapter in Indo-Icelandic cooperation and is anticipated to catalyse joint analysis, industrial partnerships, and innovation-led development within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

According to the discharge, the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) is an innovation and enterprise community primarily based in Reykjavik, Iceland, devoted to selling sustainable development within the marine and ocean industries. Founded in 2011 by Thor Sigfusson, the cluster serves as a collaborative hub that brings collectively entrepreneurs, researchers, buyers, and corporations working throughout a variety of sectors associated to the ocean economic system.

With a mission to advertise higher utilisation of ocean assets by way of innovation, sustainability, and the creation of latest worth chains, its focus is on 100% fish utilisation.

The Government of India has already adopted a cluster-based growth mannequin beneath the PMMSY to advertise competitiveness and organised development in fisheries and aquaculture. So far, 34 clusters have been notified throughout varied States and Union Territories.

The cluster-based strategy enhances competitiveness and effectivity by uniting geographically linked enterprises of all sizes, micro, small, medium, and enormous, throughout all the worth chain, from manufacturing to exports. This collaborative mannequin improves monetary viability by way of robust linkages, addresses worth chain gaps, and creates new enterprise alternatives and livelihoods.

By fostering partnerships and sharing assets, it goals to scale back prices, promote innovation, and assist sustainable practices. The cluster-based growth mannequin brings collectively fishers, fish farmers, SHGs, JLGs, FFPOs, processors, distributors, cooperatives, transporters, start-ups, and different stakeholders. It can be supported by way of convergence with varied ministries, together with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and MSME, in addition to establishments corresponding to NABARD.

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So far, 34 clusters have been notified throughout the nation.