Iceland’s marine research chief calls data its gold mine

Information gathered from the ocean is a vital national resource, Eggert Benedikt Guðmundsson, the newly appointed director of Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, told mbl.is.

“The use of marine resources must be sustainable and must not erode nature’s principal capital,” he said. “That requires scientific work. We must closely monitor the state of fish stocks and the ecosystem in general, in the broader context of global warming, which is having a major and growing impact.”

Guðmundsson was appointed director at the end of August after serving in the role on an acting basis for several months. He said the institute’s work was based on conducting research, presenting its findings and enabling sound decisions, rather than rushing to conclusions.

A growing body of knowledge

Knowledge of ocean conditions and fish stocks was continually improving as researchers collected and analysed increasingly detailed data, Guðmundsson said.

“We obviously cannot say exactly what the state of the ocean is, and we never will be able to. But we are making considerable progress in our search for knowledge,” he said.

The institute has a huge database of marine and fisheries information extending far back in time. Guðmundsson described it as “our gold mine”. Much of the data is now being standardised while new information is collected.

That work could, for example, enable artificial intelligence to analyse the data and produce findings and conclusions useful in the present day, he said. The appropriate historical timeframe would have to be assessed in each case, but long timelines and large amounts of source material were always beneficial in research.

The institute also monitors ecosystems in rivers and lakes and assesses the environmental impact of fish farming in sea pens.

Salmon farming in sea pens in Arnarfjörður has become the main industry in Iceland’s Westfjords, according to the article.

Research underpins fishing advice

The fishing industry is estimated to contribute around 350 billion to 400 billion Icelandic krónur directly to the country’s economy each year. It accounts for about 20 per cent of all export revenue and around 40 per cent of merchandise exports, while approximately 98 per cent of Icelandic seafood is exported to foreign markets.

Guðmundsson said the figures underlined the importance of protecting the country’s marine resources. As an old saying puts it, people should not take more than God gives.

The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute issues advice on the allowable maximum catch for each fishing year, which normally begins on September 1. The institute is now preparing for surveys ahead of the next capelin season.

A research expedition is conducted in the autumn and another at the beginning of the new year. Fishing advice is issued immediately afterwards. Initial indications of the capelin stock’s condition suggest that the next season could be relatively strong.

“Advice on the allowable maximum catch will probably never be 100 per cent accurate. Science will never reach that point,” Guðmundsson said.

He said the research was nevertheless extensive. For demersal fish, the foundation was formed by spring and autumn surveys, in which research vessels and fishing trawlers operated together for scientific purposes. Many other studies and calculations were also included, and the institute’s advice was reviewed through, among other things, peer assessment by fisheries scientists at ICES, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, before being presented.