Icelandic Ambassador to UK visits Grimsby Seafood Cluster
June 28, 2021
Iceland’s new Ambassador to the UK, Sturla Sigurjonsson, visited Grimsby for some key meetings with the seafood processing cluster and the supply chain.
The Ambassador was met by Simon Dwyer representing the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association including their Chairperson, Mike Woods of Jaines Seafoods, and Seafood Grimsby & Humber Alliance organisation along with their Chairperson, Simon Smith, CEO Young’s Seafood.
Discussions were focused on trade and supply of both fresh and frozen cod and haddock which arrives weekly at the Grimsby’s seafood processing cluster. Meetings were also held with Associated British Ports, who are building a multi-million pound Border Control Post at Immingham where the vast majority of Icelandic seafood is landed and Eimskip, the Icelandic shipping line that transport the seafood.
Simon Dwyer commented “It was a pleasure to meet the Ambassador and we had some fruitful discussions about the future landscape for supplies. We’re both concerned about the UK government requirement from 1st October this year for Icelandic exporters of seafood, to supply Export Health Certificates that are required in original form when the seafood arrives in Immingham each Sunday. We agreed to maintain a close dialogue with our respective government representatives on the matter”.
During a fish and chip lunch the Ambassador was keen to hear about the credentials and scale of the Grimsby seafood cluster and Mike Woods presented the Ambassador with a #MadeGreatInGrimsby baseball cap.
The Ambassador also had a successful tour of the Flatfish Limited processing facility where the Ambassador was able to view first hand the processing of Icelandic fish for Waitrose stores.