Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation
The Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation owns and operates the brand of Iceland Responsible Fisheries. The Foundation was established in February 2011 and took over the operation and management of the IRF certification programme from the Fisheries Association of Iceland. The foundation operates on a cost basis, as a non-profit organisation.
The Foundation's role is to make and maintain contracts for the certification programme, promote and communicate with stakeholders, etc. A technical committee of the foundation is responsible for all the technical work, specifications and certification, as well as communication with certification bodies and public bodies accordingly. Dr. Kristján Thórarinsson is the Chairman of the Technical committee.
The founders are the following associations:
- Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners, LÍÚ
- National Association of Small Boat Owners, LS
- Federation of Icelandic Fish Processing Plants, SF
- Gunnar Tómasson, Director of production and sales, Thorbjorninn/Thorfish, Grindavík
- Örn Pálsson, Managing Director of the National Association of Small Boat Owners
- Sigurgeir Brynjar Kristgeirsson, CEO of Vinnslustodin, Westman Islands
Finnur Gardarsson, Project manager, is responsible for daily operations of the IRF programme.
An agreement has been made with Promote Iceland about marketing and promotion of the IRF programme. Marketing Manager for the programme is Gudny Karadottir. Promote Iceland operates a seafood advisory committee that sets the aims and reviews the marketing plan of the programme on a regular basis. The committee is comprised of people from the fishing companies, processors and marketing and sales companies, as well as a person from the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. Chairman of the marketing committee is Eggert Benedikt Gudmundsson, CEO of HB Grandi.