In order to support activists who are devoted to opposing the practice of industrial salmon farming in Björk’s native Iceland, two of Europe’s most innovative pop musicians, Björk and Rosalía, have collaborated on a new song.
Although the title of the song hasn’t been confirmed yet, it will be released later this month. A little teaser of 75 seconds has been posted online. Björk stated, “Residents in the Seyisfjörur fjord have taken a stand against the beginning of fish farming in their area,” in a statement that accompanied the announcement.
We think it can serve as a role model for other cases, and we want to use the song’s revenues to help them with their legal costs.
She described Iceland as “Europe’s largest unspoiled natural area, where even today, sheep roam freely in the mountains, and in the summers, fish swim freely in our lakes, rivers, and fjords.
“She voiced her shock and worry over Norwegian and Icelandic businessmen buying up fish farms in most of the fjords, making it a significant issue this summer. She couldn’t understand how, with so little regulatory monitoring, they had been able to do this for a decade.
Björk opinion on industrial farming of salmon
The two largest salmon farms in Iceland underwent a dramatic merger in 2022 when Ice Fish Farm acquired Laxar Fiskeldi for a sum of £118 million. The merging firm is mainly owned by the Norwegian business Msval.
In order to process 10 million salmon annually, Ice Fish Farm now has jurisdiction over the Seyisfjörur fjord in addition to three other fjords in the east of Iceland.
Björk claims that the large-scale salmon farming industry has seriously harmed the ecosystem and produced fish that are kept in very poor health.
Furthermore, because so many of these fish have escaped, they are adversely affecting the genetic makeup of Icelandic salmon, endangering their existence and possibly causing their extinction.
Gumundur Gslason, the CEO of Ice Fish Farm, described the business’s goal in the following way before the merger:
“Our ultimate aim is to establish a company that produces top-notch, high-quality salmon in an environmentally efficient manner, all the while maintaining a deep respect for nature.” The Guardian has contacted Ice Fish Farm to ask them to address Björk’s worries.
Björk concluded her remarks by urging these corporate leaders to abandon their fish farms and calling for the development and execution of strict environmental rules that fit within Iceland’s legislative framework.
She asserted that a sizeable section of the populace already supports their cause and that the goal of the protest is to make sure that the wishes of the people are taken into account by our political structures.
Björk is a devoted environmental activist
Björk has a long history of being an ardent environmentalist. She founded the Náttra Foundation in 2008 to defend Iceland’s natural landscapes and oppose the establishment of aluminum manufacturers nearby.
She aggressively campaigned against the construction of an energy project in Iceland’s highlands in 2015 and supported the establishment of a national park in its place.
She has continually praised the beauty of nature via her music. In 2022, she commented on Greta Thunberg’s anthology “The Climate Book,” saying that it both inspired and saddened her, highlighting the severity of the environmental situation while also providing brief moments of hope to inspire action. She has also expressed support for environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
The Spanish singer Rosalia, who has earned recognition internationally in recent years for her distinctive interpretations of diverse Latin music genres, and Björk team up for the first time on this song. Rosala received a Latin Grammy award in 2018 and named Lauryn Hill, Kate Bush, and Björk as some of her musical influences.
She expressed gratitude to these professional women for showing her that she could pursue a career in music. Björk responded by stating how much she admired Rosala and how she had inspired a greater interest in Spanish-language music among a wider audience.
