The newly founded Icelandic Wildlife Fund (IWF) is fighting for the preservation of Icelandic wildlife and nature, especially in fjords and rivers which are threatened by industrial-scale salmon farming in sea cages.
Farmed salmon has a different genetic make-up than the natural species and when the farmed fish escapes the pens it threatens Iceland’s unique wild populations of salmon, Arctic char and brown trout.
Iceland’s nature and natural quality are facing a large threat from companies which plan to establish large-scale salmon farming or to dramatically expand farms with current sea cages around the shores of Iceland.
Among these companies are big Norwegian multinationals which have been associated with environmental disasters around the world. These businesses spend large sums of money lobbying politicians, both on the local and national level in Iceland.
Those who care for Iceland must push back and defend the nature and ecosystem of the country.
The sea pens have a dramatic negative impact on the view, destroying the feeling of untouched wilderness which makes Icelandic landscapes unique. This industry releases waste, chemicals, disease and parasites directly into the surrounding waters, harming other marine life.
We at IWF are very concerned that sea cages are being placed in narrow and sparsely inhabited fjords. Current plans envision a large number of new farms in the Westfjords and the Eastfjords.
IWF is a non-profit fund and is backed by a diverse group of conservationists.