Organisational Chart

General Office:

Dissemination of information, internal and public webs, publications, document and data management and the development of matters relating to information technology. General implementation and telephone service, organisation and preparation of meetings, reception of guests and communal services. Supervision of ministry meeting rooms and common space. Various other tasks in cooperation with senior management.

International Office:

Matters that relate to international cooperation in the fields of fisheries and agriculture in cooperation with other specialised offices, excluding matters relating to commerce except in the case of the CITES agreement and related matters. Matters that concern Iceland’s affiliation to international institutions and that relate to the making and implementation of international agreements. Also supervises matters relating to international law, the law of the sea, Nordic cooperation and the Ministry’s involvement in development cooperation. Among the institutions in the Ministry’s brief are the UN, FAO, IWC, NAMMCO, CITES, CBD, NAFO, NEAFC.

Natural Resources Office:

Administers matters that relate to the use of natural resources, in the sea and on land. Prepares bills and writes regulations to laws on these matters and prepares advisory opinions and reports. Handles relations with the Marine Research Institute regarding proposals for exploitation of marine stocks. Also handles relations with the Directorate of Fisheries and with the Icelandic Coastguard Authority concerning the implementation of rules governing the supervision and exploitation of natural resources. Implementation of the fisheries agreement and the foreign relations that this involves.

Finance and Operations Office:

Handles budgeting, implementation of the budget and supervision of its institutions’ finances. The running of the Ministry and its purchasing. It handles service and results management agreements and agreements based on them. Is involved in other agreements that imply financial commitment. Prepares advisory cost reports on minister bills, regional quotas, fishing fee, pricing in fisheries, profitability and statistics. Free trade agreements and tariffs relating fisheries produce in cooperation with the Productivity and Marketing Office. Cooperation with the OECD Fisheries Committee and with the WTO on fisheries.

Productivity and Marketing Office:

THandles tasks according to the laws governing agricultural produce, agricultural agreements and agricultural pricing, tariffs and importing, including the granting of licences to import. Also handles matters related to free trade agreements and bilateral commercial agreements. Relations with OECD on agricultural matters and the WTO agreement on agriculture. EStatistical services to agriculture.

Agricultural Land Registry Office:

Supervision of state owned farms managed by the Ministry. Buying and selling of farms, tenancy and rent, mortgaging, farm boundaries, endorsement of division of land, communal farms, release of land from agricultural use, registration of new farms, general laws governing farms and matters regarding farms and the laws on tenancy.

Food and Development Office:

Handles food safety and consumer matters, the health of plants, fish, animals and their produce. Research and innovation, including fish farming, matters related to salmon and trout fishing, including NASCO matters and tasks according to the laws on agricultural produce. Soil conservation and forestry and relations with universities. Professional relations with HAFRÓ (the Marine Research Institute) MATÍS (food research laboratories), The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority and The Institute of Freshwater Fisheries.

Legal and Specialist Department:

Works under the supervision of the permanent secretary of state and handles general legal issues and legal interpretation, charges, rulings, statements, parliamentary bills, government directives and various specified tasks in cooperation with the Ministry’s specialised offices.  The department handles relations with ESB and EFTA regarding the EEA agreement and handles implementation of actions in accordance with the agreement.