Early morning in the fishing port - Blue Collaboration on a study visit to Gothenburg

At the last project meeting, the BlåS project group started their day at a place where seafood takes its first steps towards shops and restaurants - the Gothenburg Fish Auction. With Linda Frithiof from Sjömatsfrämjandet, who is also involved in the BlåS project, we got a tour of ice-filled boxes, traders and the anticipation that characterizes the hall every morning.

The atmosphere in the hall is special. When it's six o'clock in the morning, activity is already in full swing. Linda describes the feeling as a mixture of community and anticipation - a pulse built up over more than a hundred years.

A historic site still buzzing with life

-I always enjoy going to the auction early in the morning. It's a great feeling that I think comes from a mixture of community and anticipation. I think the fascinating thing about the auction is the idea that it's been going on in the same way since 1910, a historical place," says Linda.

Kristin Johansson, project manager at Innovatum Science Park and participant in Blå's project, was also present during the study visit. She has visited the auction before, but appreciated that more people in the group got to experience this part of the fish industry.

I hope and believe that everyone will take away a good feeling. That they got a glimpse of how vibrant and eventful our blue industry actually is - not least here in Gothenburg. Many of us are proud of our port city, but perhaps not always aware that it is still buzzing with life," says Kristin.

Changing demand and great variety

In the years Linda has worked in the fishing port, she has seen demand change. When she started, cod was the most sought-after species. Today, due to reduced quotas for cod, there is more interest in other cod species such as saithe and haddock.

I wish more people would discover how many different species we have and dare to vary their purchases more. In a year, around 85 different species are sold at Swedish auctions, while four species account for more than half of what we consume - salmon, cod, herring and shrimp," she says.

An important insight for the project team

After the tour, the project group continued their day at Sjömatsfrämjandet. For Kristin, the visit was a clear reminder of why BlåS brings together actors from the entire blue industry.

-"Having Sjömatsfrämjandet in BlåS is worth its weight in gold. In such a large and complex project, it is crucial to maintain a broad perspective - especially when we work with issues that affect the entire blue industry, from sea to table, from education to innovation," she says.

She also hopes that participants took away more than just new knowledge.

-"We tend to romanticize the past and chase the future, but the real living is happening right now. Every day, fish is landed, sorted and sold here - and I want more people to see that," she concludes.

Want to experience the fish auction for yourself?

Linda concludes by saying that Sjömatsfrämjandet regularly receives study visits - both school classes, organizations, companies and individuals.

- If you want to spend a morning with us in the fishing harbor, you can book your school class or company with us. All schools are welcome free of charge and are the main activity of our education center. We also organize an open guided tour once a month, usually on the last Friday of the month, if you want to join us as an individual.

For Blå's project group, it was a different and inspiring start to the meeting day - with new impressions and a concrete feeling for the everyday life of the blue industry. A visit that is highly recommended for those who are curious about the pulse of the fish auction and do not fear an early morning

Read more about the Blue Collaboration project