London seafood summit on Brexit impact

THE Norwegian Seafood Council is hosting a major summit in London next week to prepare for the challenges posed by Brexit.
More than 120 representatives from the Norwegian and British seafood industries will meet at the Berkeley Hotel on Wednesday to discuss what is likely to happen to trade when the UK leaves the EU in March next year.
Also up for discussion will be the latest fast moving trends on seafood consumption.
Several speakers have been lined up, including Renate Larsen, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, and Veronica Pedersen, state secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries.
Grimsby based Seachill, the company behind the Saucy Fish brand, the National Federation of Fishermen\’s Organisations and Seafish will also deliver presentations.
Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr (pictured), who heads the council\’s fisheries mission in Britain, said: ‘We are very pleased with the programme we have put in place.
‘There is a lot of uncertainty in the industry about what will happen to Norwegian seafood exports following the different outcomes that Brexit may throw up.
‘We hope this conference will give people a better understanding of the issues and what it is likely to mean for the industry.’
He said part of the conference would focus on how the industry needs to adapt to the younger generation.
Despite the stream of health messages, the UK, like many countries, was experiencing a fall in seafood consumption, especially among the young who seemed to prefer other types of protein.
Asmyhr added: ‘The UK is a market where new trends are being created so it is important to gain a good understanding of what is happening here.
‘The explosion in  e-commerce and  social media among the younger generation means they have less time and limited knowledge about cooking, especially compared to earlier generations.’