Founded in 2005, SEEDS Iceland is a non-governmental, non-profit volunteer organisation dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding and environmental awareness through nature conservation and social engagement. By collaborating with local communities, authorities, individuals, and other Icelandic associations, SEEDS develops projects that respond to real needs and create mutual benefit for volunteers, host communities, and Iceland as a whole.

As a member of Plastic Oceans International’s BlueCommunities initiative, SEEDS Iceland is part of a global network committed to protecting marine environments through local action. This commitment was clearly reflected in SEEDS’ recent participation in the Trees & Seas Film Festival, where storytelling became a powerful tool for community engagement.

One of the most impactful moments of the festival was the screening of Salmon Secrets, which drew a large local audience well beyond SEEDS’ international volunteers. The film’s resonance stemmed from its relevance to a pressing issue in Iceland: the environmental and social consequences of open-net salmon farming. While the industry promises economic growth, it has sparked widespread concern across the country.

Open-net pens release enormous quantities of waste, including feces, uneaten feed, and chemicals, directly into Iceland’s fjords. Experts estimate that a single large salmon farm can produce the raw sewage equivalent of a major city, threatening water quality and sensitive marine ecosystems. Escaped farmed salmon also pose a genetic risk to wild populations, weakening their resilience through interbreeding and spreading parasites, such as sea lice and infectious diseases.

**BlueCommunity Member: SEEDS Iceland**
Their goal is to promote intercultural understanding, environmental protection, and awareness through nature conservation, as well as social and cultural volunteer work in Iceland.
Their activities include voluntary service and non-formal learning through international camps, seminars, training courses, group discussions, environmental education and awareness campaigns, as well as cultural and art exhibitions.
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Iceland’s salmon farming industry has grown at an extraordinary pace. Production has increased at a compound annual growth rate of about 35% since 2016, reaching nearly 47,000 metric tons of Atlantic salmon by 2023 (43,866 MT in fjords and 3,000 MT on land). Many Icelanders view the industrialization of fjords as a betrayal of their country’s natural heritage, fearing a repeat of Norway’s experience, where lax regulation led to environmental degradation and the collapse of wild salmon runs.

The film, directed by Jérémy Mathieu, explores similar issues in British Columbia, where industrial fish farming continues to push wild salmon toward extinction. With Canada’s federal promise to remove open-net pens by 2025 under pressure, Salmon Secrets follows Clayoquot Action’s underwater surveillance team as they investigate an “experimental” farm. Featuring Indigenous voices and marine scientists, the documentary exposes the hidden costs of industry-driven solutions and highlights the hopeful resurgence of wild salmon in areas where farms have been removed.

Following the screening, Jón Kaldal, strategist and spokesperson for the Icelandic Wildlife Fund (IWF), spoke about the local reality in Iceland. His talk deepened the audience’s engagement and led to focused questions about what could be done to address the issue. One of the most immediate and actionable ideas was the role of consumers in influencing the market simply by asking restaurants where their salmon comes from. This small act can shift demand and encourage more sustainable sourcing.

Jón also used a striking analogy to illustrate the carbon footprint of farmed salmon: feed is grown in South America, shipped to Iceland, used to raise fish, and then the fish are exported to markets like the United States. This cycle highlights the unsustainable nature of global food production and its environmental toll.

The success of this local festival underscored the power of context-driven engagement. By connecting global issues to local realities, SEEDS Iceland demonstrated how storytelling and community dialogue can inspire meaningful action.

As part of the BlueCommunities initiative, SEEDS continues to foster environmental education and grassroots solutions, proving that change begins at home and that local voices have the power to shape a more sustainable future.