Send us Fan Mail

The Reykjavík Grapevine has been published out of downtown Reykjavík for more than 20 years, with its offices for most of that time next door to the "World Famous Hot Dog Stand." Today we are joined by Benedikta Guðrún Svavarsdóttir from VÁ and Elías Pétur Viðfjörð Þórarinsson from the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) to discuss the ongoing fight against the growing open net pen industrial salmon farming in Iceland, its environmental impact, political manipulation and tactics. 

Our wide-ranging discussion focuses on the inhumane conditions of the fish cages in the fjords of Iceland, the struggle seen in Seyðisfjörður as a vibrant community attempts to prevent a large-scale fish farm from taking over their harbour, and the survival of the Icelandic salmon population. 

Our guests will be taking part in the screening of Laxaþjóð (Salmon Nation) on April 29, 2026, with Patagonia Films, at Bíó Paradís at 19:00. You can also speak with members of these organisations at the tower in Lækjatorg, and read more about their petition drive at StayCoolIceland.com.

Hosted by: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson & Bart Cameron

0:00: Introduction

0:03 The "Third Wave" of industrial salmon farming in Iceland: Norwegian corporate dominance and free licenses.

0:07 Salmon farming targeting struggling small villages for jobs and tax revenue.

0:12 The environmental effects of open net pens.

0:17 The extreme mortality rates in open net pens versus other livestock.

0:22 The fragile power dynamic and corporate manipulation of local politics and fees.

0:41 The great threat to Iceland's unique wild Atlantic salmon (population est. at 50,000 fish).

0:44 The value of the salmon fishing tourism industry.

0:53 On corporate attempts to manipulate national laws in favour of salmon farming industry.

1:09 Why Iceland does not need the salmon farming industry.

1:10 An upcoming screening of the documentary “A Salmon Nation” (April 29th), at Bíó Paradís + The Puffin Strike campaign at Lækjartorg.