HAFRANNSOKNASTOFNUN, RANNSOKNA- OG RADGJAFARSTOFNUN HAFS OG VATNA

Their core work

Hafrannsóknastofnun is Iceland's Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, responsible for scientific research and advisory services on marine and freshwater ecosystems. They conduct fisheries stock assessments, ocean monitoring, and ecosystem modelling to support sustainable resource management in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Their work spans from deep-sea and mesopelagic ecosystem research to applied fisheries science, including biomass estimation, biodiversity monitoring, and biogeochemical cycling. They bring unique expertise from Iceland's position at the intersection of Arctic and Atlantic ocean systems, contributing oceanographic data and ecological knowledge to large European research consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2016–2018), Hafrannsóknastofnun focused on traditional fisheries management — stock assessment methods, decision support tools for sustainable fisheries agreements (SFPAs), and mixed fisheries modelling through projects like FarFish. From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted markedly toward deep-ocean and mesopelagic ecosystems, with strong emphasis on biomass estimation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ocean biogeochemistry. This reflects a broader move from applied fisheries advisory work toward understanding ocean ecosystem functioning under climate change, including Arctic tipping points and deoxygenation.

Moving from traditional fisheries advisory toward deep-ocean ecosystem science and climate-ocean interactions, positioning themselves as a key partner for future blue economy and ocean health research.

How they like to work

Hafrannsóknastofnun operates exclusively as a consortium participant — across 11 projects, they have never coordinated. They consistently join large consortia (222 unique partners across 52 countries), which indicates they are valued for their specialist contributions rather than project management. Their funding per project is modest (averaging EUR 239K), typical of a research institute contributing specific datasets, regional expertise, or ocean monitoring capabilities to broader European efforts.

With 222 unique consortium partners across 52 countries, Hafrannsóknastofnun has one of the most geographically diverse networks possible for an Icelandic institution. Their partnerships span the full Atlantic basin and Arctic region, connecting them to major marine research institutes and universities across Europe and beyond.

What sets them apart

Iceland's geographic position gives Hafrannsóknastofnun direct access to some of the most productive and climate-sensitive marine ecosystems in the world — the subarctic North Atlantic, Arctic waters, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. They bring irreplaceable in-situ data, research vessel access, and decades of fisheries monitoring from these regions. For any consortium studying Atlantic or Arctic ocean processes, they offer a combination of location, long-term ecological datasets, and applied fisheries expertise that few other institutions can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MEESO
  Their largest H2020 project (EUR 711K) — focused on sustainable mesopelagic fisheries, a frontier topic with major implications for future food and biomass sourcing from the deep ocean.
• iAtlantic
  A flagship Atlantic ecosystem assessment spanning deep-sea habitats, tipping points, and environmental DNA — positions the institute at the forefront of integrated ocean science.
• COMFORT
  Addresses ocean acidification and deoxygenation impacts on fisheries and ecosystems, directly linking their fisheries expertise to global climate change science.