The Kungsfenan Swedish Seafood Award winners:

The chef of chefs, the EU's Fishing Commissioner and Namibia's Fisheries Minister receive awards for 2009

Announced today are the winners of the Kungsfenan Swedish Seafood Award, a distinction that has been awarded since 2002 for ‘Sustainable Fishing' and 'Maritime Gastronomy'. Three international and worthy individuals will receive the prize at The Göteborg Opera on 11 February 2010.

Paul Bocuse, from France, is probably the world's most famous and influential chef. He is awarded the 2009 Kungsfenan The Swedish Seafood Award in the Maritime Gastronomy category for his exceptional efforts in promoting fish gastronomy in his cookery competition, the Bocuse d'Or. The prize is 200,000 Swedish crowns.

Kungsfenan The Swedish Seafood Award in the Sustainable Fishing 2009 category goes to two nominees:
Dr Abraham Iyambo, the Namibian Fisheries and Natural Resources Minister, for his work in developing a sustainable administration of Namibia's fishing resources. Dr Joe Borg, the EU Commissioner and former minister of foreign affairs of Malta, for raising awareness of fishing issues essential to reduce problems in EU fishing waters throughout his tenure. The prize is 200,000 Swedish crowns.

The 2009 Innovator of the Year Award goes to Dr Helen Lindqvist, whose doctoral thesis was the first dedicated research into the health benefits of herring. The prize is 30,000 Swedish crowns.

For more information, please contact:
Christina Stenberg, Kungsfenan Director, +46 (0)706 350 350,
christina.stenberg@kungsfenan.se

Please visit www.kungsfenan.se for photos etc.

The organisations and companies behind Kungsfenan The Swedish Seafood Award are: University of Gothenburg, Swedish Board of Fisheries, County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland , Region Västra Götaland , Svensk Fisk, Swedbank, Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, Göteborg & Co, and West Sweden Tourist Board.

Paul Bocuse, a restaurant icon who has had three Michelin stars since 1965 and one of the founders of Nouvelle Cuisine, created the Bocuse d'Or, the prestigious cooking competition in 1987, now considered to be the world championships of cooking. The best fish dish competition has given fish and seafood a prominent position within the art of top gourmet cooking and therefore raised the bar for maritime gastronomy. Paul Bocuse's vision and his thorough knowledge of the subject has enabled generations of chefs to exhibit skill and desire for innovation to both experts and the general public. His contribution to fish gastronomy is therefore outstanding.

Dr Abraham Iyambo, has established an effective, research based administration within a short timeframe in Namibia. Dr Iyambo generated progress through development work regionally, nationally and internationally, and fishing is now the sector with the most job opportunities in the country. Furthermore, Dr Iyambo has found ways to limit illegal and unregulated fishing in the South East Atlantic. He contributed to formulating the Reykjavik declaration on the necessity of applying an ecosystem approach in fishing administration. Throughout his work, Dr Iyambo has dared to make decisions that were unpopular at the time, but which proved to be both constructive and far-sighted.

Dr Joe Borg, has worked hard to have the EU's current fishing policy thoroughly reviewed. The Green Paper proposal has been the model for a comprehensive discussion within the community's various areas of interest. Dr Borg has stressed that future EU law must be based on an ecosystem approach and the fishing fleet capacity must be adapted to a long-term sustainable exploitation of fishing resources within broader marketing opportunities. Dr Borg has also pointed out the need for regionalisation and the increased responsibility of individual fishermen in a new fishing policy. The EU's fishing policy is in great need of innovation. Dr Joe Borg has been able to handle short term interests in relation to more long term ones with great personal integrity. His work has enormous potential to create a trustworthy, sustainable fishing policy.

Dr Helen Lindqvist, demonstrated in her research the many positive effects of eating herring, which are all clearly linked to an improved composition of blood fats and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The amount of ‘good' cholesterol (HDL) increased markedly in the blood of test candidates whose diets included herring compared to those who had been given pork or chicken. Helen Lindqvist has worked with the eminent fish chef Leif Mannerström to develop quick and modern herring recipes. During her research, she gave many public presentations. In this fashion, she has raised awareness for herring and its positive qualities.

The Kungsfenan Swedish Seafood Award aims to be the world's most well-renowned fish award. Since 2002, innovators in research, equipment development, gastronomy and fish-related entrepreneurship from many different countries have come to Göteborg to be honoured for their contributions. The 400,000 Swedish crowns prize is split between the 'Sustainable Fishing' and 'Maritime Gastronomy' categories. The 'Innovator of the Year' award is the jury's special award for innovators and entrepreneurs with a strong sense of originality.

The award Kungsfenan - The Swedish Seafood Award is presented in two categories

1. Sustainable Fishing

The award is given to an individual, organisation or business that, in practise or through science, has contributed to strengthening our belief in the future and increased our knowledge about our oceans, rivers and lakes as sustainable sources of nutrition.

2. Maritim Gastronomy

The award is given to an individual, organisation or business that has inspired, or contributed scientifically to, a strong and sound development of fish as food, and helped to encourage new ideas in which fish and shellfish play a prominent part.

The total prize money is 400,000 Swedish crowns, which is divided between the two categories Sustainable Fishing and Maritime Gastronomy. The money is sponsored by Sparbanksstiftelsen Väst.

Innovator of the Year
The Judging Panel's special prize dedicated to innovators and entrepreneurs with groundbreaking ideas. The prize money is 30,000 Swedish crowns and is sponsored by Svensk Fisk.