IFFO's Annual Conference held this week in Cape Town, South Africa, has closed with several news. If yesterday we reported the launch of the new version of MarinTrust's marine ingredients production factory standard, today it is the turn to announce changes in IFFO's top management.
The organization has announced that, following the elections for the new IFFO Management Board, Egil Magne Haugstad will be its next President, while the position of Vice President he leaves vacant will go to Eduardo Goycoolea. Both will take up their new positions as of January 1, 2024.
Moreover, the organization has thanked outgoing board members Odd Eliasen and Nick Sterrett for their commitment to developing IFFO as a science-based organization, leading the responsible development of marine ingredients, and welcomed and congratulated the two new members, Armando Coppel and Dan James, on their induction.
IFFO's new President is Egil Magne Haugstad, CEO of Pelagia AS and current Vice President at The Marine Ingredients Organization. In addition to being the world's largest producer of pelagic seafood products and high-quality omega-3 concentrates in Norway, Pelagia operates the largest fleet of vessels harvesting Category 3 and 2 by-products in the salmon industry. Headquartered in Norway, its fishmeal and fish oil plants are concentrated in the North Atlantic, in Norway, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
"IFFO Members are extremely important for producing marine ingredients, which are essential for the food industry and the well-being of an ever-growing global population," Egil Magne Haugstad said. "IFFO Members work in a responsible manner and continuously encourage further development in science-based projects such as the ongoing life cycle assessment analysis," he continued.
"I look forward to contributing to develop knowledge and competence within the marine ingredients sector. We will also explore how IFFO can keep developing its services and be an even better meeting place for our industry," concluded the next president of IFFO.
The position of Vice President vacated by Egil Magne Haugstad will be filled by Eduardo Goycoolea. The new VP has extensive experience in senior management positions both in local companies in Chile and in multinationals, including some as well known as Blumar Seafoods or Exxon. In addition, he also has a long track record in various organizations such as Groundfish Forum - which brings together the world's most important marketers, producers, and fishing companies in the field of human consumption of seafood products -, but also in the IFOO itself.
Goycoolea was one of the founders and first co-chair of IFFO back in 2001 when The Marine Ingredients Organization was created. As he recalled after his appointment as Vice President for 2024-2025, he has worked closely with IFFO for many years and helped it become "the reference point for the marine ingredients industry."
"IFFO’s events provide an unrivalled opportunity for the whole value chain to meet, while the organisation's market and technical intelligence keeps developing," said the current member of the Board of Directors for Latin America and future VP. "I am truly happy to continue supporting the organization and its members," he added.
IFFO - The Marine Ingredients Organization is an international trade organization representing the marine ingredients industry, such as fishmeal, fish oil, and other related industries. IFFO’s 250 members reside in around 50 countries, and account for over 55% of world production and 80% of the fishmeal and fish oil traded worldwide. It is an accredited Observer to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
