The flight ban that was established due to ash fall from the volcanic eruption in south Iceland has caused extensive financial losses to the Icelandic fishing industry. “I estimate that our loss is three to four million króna per day,” said Birgir Kristinsson, managing director of fishing company Nýfiskur in Sandgerdi.
Icelandic cod. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
The company is a leader in the processing of fresh fish, which is exported daily by air to Liege in Belgium and from there on to markets in central Europe, Morgunbladid reports.
Until yesterday there hadn’t been any flights from Iceland to Europe since Thursday last week and at Nýfiskur 12-14 tons of fish is stocked up. The company’s daily production is between six and eight tons.
If the fish cannot be delivered via air in the coming days it must be frozen, which lowers its value by half.
“We will follow how the situation develops and make decisions accordingly. I am hopeful that the situation will improve, though. Now that flights to Scandinavia are resuming it won’t be long until other European destinations can be reached. If flights to the UK resume, we will simply have trucks transport the fish to the mainland,” Kristinsson said.
Kristinsson doesn’t believe he will lose his customers despite this unexpected interruption by the forces of nature. They have been very understanding, he said.
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