Norwegian fishing firms Ervik Havfiske and Carisma to merge

Norwegian whitefish fishing firms Ervik Havfiske and Carisma Fish have reached an agreement to merge. 

As part of the deal, Carisma Fish will buy up to a 25 percent stake in Ervik Havfiske, with a new management group to be formed containing the leaders of both companies. The Carisma Group will provide a vessel and just below five quotas for cod and haddock, and 1.43 quotas for saithe into Ervik Havfiske.

The transaction is slated to close in May, according to a press release from the companies, which previously merged their sales arms under the name Arctic Linefish AS in October 2017.

Stad-based Ervik Havfiske Group is Norway’s biggest longline company, with an annual catch exceeding 20,000 metric tons, primarily composed of of cod and haddock caught in the Barents Sea and Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. The company also produces value-added consumer-ready products, and has between 350 and 400 employees.

Carisma, headquartered in Måløy, Norway, is a supplier of Marine Stewardship Council-certified line-caught cod and haddock, as well as ling, tusk, redfish, catfish, Greenland halibut, monkfish, Saithe, Atlantic white halibut and other species.

The agreement will see Carisma’s sole owner, Arild Aarvik, join Ervik Havfiske founders Stig and Kjell Magne Ervik in the management of Ervik Havfiske. According to the press release, several members of Carisma’s management team will also join Ervik Havfiske. Kåre Furnes has been appointed chairman of the board and Geir Solvåg, currently the managing director of Ervik Havfiske, will retain his role.

As a result of the merger, Ervik Havfiske will “emerge as even more complete and foresighted, with a clear vision of creating robust jobs for the local community both at sea and on shore,” company CEO Stig Ervik said, adding that  he believed the merger will make Ervik Havfiske an “even more well-functioning organization.”

“I look forward to working with both Aarvik and Furnes, both of whom have built and operated large and solid fishing companies,” Ervik said. “Rather than investing and venturing individually, we join forces and create a team with unique competencies consisting of all our local employees and associates who have contributed to the success of our respective companies.”

Aarvik, who serves as deputy chairman of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, said he saw “clear advantages to joining forces” with Ervik Havfiske. 

“Ervik Havfiske becomes an increasingly influential player, not only in the longlining sector, but in the fisheries industry in general,” Aarvik said. “With a large number of longliners both in the ocean-going and the coastal fleet, and with a well-functioning salesforce, the possibilities are immense,” 

“Without a doubt, a win-win situation, he added.

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