India, Iceland Partner on Zero-Waste Fisheries, Tech

• India, Iceland to boost fisheries ties with zero-waste clusters
• Delegation met IOC, MATIS, and Fishing Expo 2025 in Reykjavik
• Focus on fish processing, deep-sea fishing, and capacity building

India and Iceland are strengthening cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture through strategic engagement, investment facilitation and knowledge sharing, according to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

On a visit to Reykjavik, Secretary Jatindra Nath Swain Likhi held high-level talks with senior representatives of the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) on collaboration in setting up fisheries and aquaculture clusters in India with a zero-waste focus, leveraging Iceland’s technology on sustainable marine practices and India’s capacity for large fish production.

Both sides considered investment possibilities for Icelandic seafood processors in India, while identifying the need for innovation in fish processing and value addition around traceability and certification to build sustainability and resilience.

There has been a presentation by representatives of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) about India's cluster-based development model for fisheries under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which has already notified 34 clusters located across various states and Union Territories.

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The Indian delegation also held discussions with MATIS, a food and biotech R&D company in Iceland, about areas for possible cooperation on Food Safety, Biotechnology, and sustainable use of marine resources. In addition, they reported attending the Icelandic Fishing Expo 2025 where Visit Iceland's Likhi met with Iceland's Minister of Industry; Hanna Katrin Fridriksson to discuss ways to strengthen institutional and commercial links.

Conversations highlighted possible collaborations in deep-sea fishing vessels with onboard processing, vessel monitoring systems (VMS), trout farming in the hilly states, and specialized fishing for tuna species in the South Andaman, Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands. Training and capacity development in modern fishing technology was also identified as a priority.

This visit is a positive development for Indo-Icelandic collaboration and will help foster joint research, industry partnerships and innovation-led growth in fisheries and aquaculture. The IOC's 100% fish utilization model aligns with India's desire to create greater efficiency and sustainability and better livelihoods in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.