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Fresh fish - processing and markets

Fresh seafood has in recent years been close to 15% of the value of seafood exports from Iceland, but increased to 18% in 2005. Exports are based on sales of fresh fillets on the one hand and sales of whole fish on ice on the other hand.

Modern transport and logistics make it possible to export fresh whole fish by ships and fresh fillets by air from Iceland to all the major fresh fish markets. The customers are the retail sector and food service operators in Europe and North America who appreciate a steady supply of good quality fresh fish.

In recent years the export of fresh fillets by air has increased markedly and in value terms, the export of fresh fish fillets exceeds whole fish exports. The main species exported fresh are cod, haddock, redfish, catfish, saithe and plaice.

Fresh fillet processing
After gutting and washing on board, the fish is iced and kept in chilled store at sea to preserve raw material quality. After landing, the fish is first washed, headed and machine filleted. The fillets are trimmed, portioned, graded for size and packed with ice-mats in insulated boxes.

Export by air

Markets
Markets for whole fish on ice are almost exclusively in Europe, mainly due to the relatively short sea voyage. Fresh cod fillets are exported to the United Kingdom and France, fresh haddock to the United States and United Kingdom, and redfish to Germany and France. 

The pie diagram shows the proportional export value for fresh fish fillets in 2005, according to the main markets.