Stockholm Fishmarket : A sustainable ecosystem for fish in Stockholm

Abstract: The small scale fishery is almost disappearing on the Swedish east coast, meanwhile the demand for fresh fish increases. The project investigates the feasibility for a local fish market in Stockholm and the creation of a local food economy, mediating the challenges of the fishing industry. Located at the seashore of Djurgården, the building act as an information center, market hall and fish auction. Stockholm is Sweden's biggest city and surrounded by fishery. Yet it is almost impossible to get hold of fresh locally caught fish. The fish that after all are available for purchase may be up to a week old because it must first round-trip to Gothenburg to be sold at auction. This is also where the processing industries mainly are found. The County Board has for two years benn running a project to investigate the feasibility of a physical market in Stockholm for locally caught fresh fish. Transports to auctions take time, are costly and can also impair the quality of the fish before reaching the end consumer. The transportation costs are also often too large in relation to the income recieved from the sale of the catch. In order to get more money and increase profitability the east coast nead their own fishmarket.  The intention of the project has been to create a centrally located fishmarket for the citizens of Stockholm, tourists, restaurant/ and business owners, both retail and wholesale. Stockholm is a city on water and should profile itself more as one. A fishmarket would not only give the citizens of Stockholm a healthy and affordable food alternative, it would also help preserve the small-scale fish-industry on the east coast, helping the fishermen to make a better profit on their catch since transportation to fish auctions on the west coast no longer would be necessary. This would also mean a significant sustainable improvement for the fishindustry in Sweden. The market also works as an information and education-center which gives an opportunity to reach out to the general public with information concerning the current fish stock in Sweden and the Stockholm region in specific.