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NORWAY''S fishing industry was today preparing to welcome a group of unusual guests - the owners of 10 British fish and chip shops.
They are the 10 regional finalists from the UK Independent Takeaway Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition and are visiting a country where much of their fish supply could be coming from in the next few years.
They were welcomed by the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, which organised the visit as part of the prize for getting into the finals. The first port of call is a tour of the factory freezer trawler Ramoan in Vardtal. Afterwards they will be briefed on the abundant supplies of sustainable cod and haddock from the Barents Sea, where quotas for next year have just been increased. Norway sees that many Britons believe (wrongly) that cod is an endangered species and Norwegian fishing leaders will explain how well the Barents Sea is managed.
During the study trip the finalists, who come from as far afield as Kilkeel in Northern Ireland and Stonehaven in Scotland to Babbacombe in Devon and Guildford in Surrey, will learn about the supply chain of fish from Norway to the UK to help them improve their commitment to sustainability.
In the summer, the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, announced a major UK sales drive which will target Britain's 11,000 fish and chip shops.
The campaign, entitled, FISK.FøREVER with sustainable fishing at its heart, believes that with over half the UK population visiting fried fish shops at least once a month friers are a key route to influencing the consumer on the quality and sustainability of Norwegian fish. The final of the Fish and Chip Shop competition will be held in London on January 17th next year.
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