Kungsfenan - The Swedish Seafood Award

New strengthened organisation ensures development and star status

Kungsfenan The Swedish Seafood Award is a Swedish award aimed to inspire the entire world. Since 2002, innovators within research, fishing gear development, gastronomy and fishing related entrepreneurialism from a number of countries have travelled to Gothenburg to be rewarded for their efforts. This year, the award will be presented for the seventh time, on the 30th October at Gothenburg Opera House. The importance and star status of the award are safeguarded through the broadening of the organisational base for Kungsfenan.

Kungsfenan - The Swedish Seafood Award was formed in 2001 on the initiative of the Administrative Board for Västra Götaland and the responsibility for the administration of the award was given to the then re-formed trade association Svensk Fisk. Since then, the award has gained a strong international position as a benchmark for the development of the fishing industry as well as the culinary dimension of fishing.

New broadened organisation
In the spring of 2008, the not-for-profit organisation Kungsfenan - The Swedish Seafood Award was formed. Its members are: University of Gothenburg, the Swedish Board of Fisheries, the Administrative Board for Västra Götaland, the Västra Götaland Regional Council, the Tourist Board for the West of Sweden, Svenska Mässan – the Swedish Exhibition Centre, Göteborg & Co and Svensk Fisk. The purpose of the association is to be responsible for the annual presentation of the international award Kungsfenan - the Swedish Seafood Award, and for, in connection to the award ceremony, organising a national and international meeting place for issues around marine environment, sustainable fishing and fish.

Göte Bernhardsson, former County Governor, initiator of Kungsfenan and Chairman of the newly formed association Kungsfenan welcomes its breadth:
– With this new organisation, we have a broad base from which to bring forward issues around the ocean environment and the importance of fish and shellfish from an economic, cultural and culinary perspective. We remain steadfast in our ambition to be the world’s most prestigious award for contributions to both sustainable fishing and the development of fish gastronomy.

The Swedish Board of Fisheries is one of the organisations behind Kungsfenan. Axel Wenblad, Director-General of the Board of Fisheries, as well as board member of Kungsfenan explains the Boards involvement:
– Knowledge about fish stocks and the environment is a pre-requisite for a sustainable usage of the resources of both the oceans and freshwater environments. An important trend in fisheries management today, is the use of selective fishing gear. Kungsfenan is an excellent opportunity to bring to everyone’s attention wise and progressive initiatives run by researchers, fishermen or other practitioners.

Press release
Gothenburg 23-11-2011

Download the press release as pdf in English here

Kungsfenan The Swedish Seafood Award prize-winners announced:

Prizes to fish researchers who help consumers to make informed choices and to a fourth-generation fish chef from the Basque Country

Two fisheries researchers who have taught consumers to make informed choices and a fourth-generation star chef from the Basque Country. They are among this year’s winners of Kungsfenan, The Swedish Seafood Award, the prize that has the aim of becoming the world’s most important prize in fishing and seafood.

The prize-winners were announced today in Stockholm in connection with a seminar on sustainable fishing in the presence of the EU’s Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki and the three fisheries ministers for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Mette Gjerskov, Lisbeth Berg-Hansen and Eskil Erlandsson.

The prize for Innovator of the Year was also announced as going to Josef Nygren, who runs a char farm in the north of Sweden.

The Kungsfenan prize for Sustainable Fisheries was awarded to Dr Keith J Sainsbury and Dr Tony Smith, Australia. They have implemented an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, better access to research data on the ocean’s resources, greater understanding of marine ecosystems, better political regulation and a popular interest in sustainable fishing, said Poul Degnbol, from the Kungsfenan jury panel and Head of Advisory Programme at ICES, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in Denmark.

The Kungsfenan prize for Maritime Gastronomy went to Elena Arzak, Spain. Elena Arzak has patiently worked her way to become one of the world’s leading chefs and continues the proud gastronomic traditions of the Basque Country, said Mathias Dahlgren, Kungsfenan jury member and star chef.

The prize money of 430,000 Swedish crowns is awarded during the prize ceremony which will take place during the European Maritime Days, a EU-event which is being held in Gothenburg during 20-22 May 2012.

For more information:

Christina Stenberg, MD Kungsfenan, +46 706 350 350, christina.stenberg@kungsfenan.se