Catch of the Day: Maren

One of Kontali’s analysts, Maren, shares what she’s been working on for the past month and why data is so important.

From caviar to brown crab, it’s been a busy month for our Analyst Maren

Maren is one of our analysts here at Kontali. She joined the team back in August last year and has since been working hard on several projects. Recently, she was working on a study on caviar, more specifically the production, trade, and consumption of sturgeon caviar in and outside the EU. The study is now available on EUMOFA’s website and was also presented at the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) annual Sturgeons Commission meeting back in early June. Right now, Maren’s primary focus has been on another study regarding the brown crab supply chain and the status of the sector both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last year, during the first wave of COVID-19, Kontali was constantly monitoring the situation around COVID-19 and how it impacted the market and prices. Now a year later markets have stabilised, and we have more data on first sales, landings, wholesale, trade and so on. All this data paints a picture of how COVID-19 impacted different sectors and species. Data tells one side of the story, but experiences from industry stakeholders are paramount. Combining the two is the best way to establish which ways the stakeholders were impacted and how the industry can better prepare for other possible crises”, says Maren. The study on brown crab will soon be available on EUMOFA’s website. 

Maren has not only been busy writing and crunching numbers this month but also presenting findings from Kontali studies. Back in May, Maren represented Kontali and EUMOFA at the European Maritime Day on a panel discussion on COVID-19 and seafood: impact and the way forward, along with representatives from FEAP, FAO and Pêcheurs de Bretagne (French producer organisation). She had previously also been a guest lecturer at the local college in Kristiansund, talking about the same topic with a focus on the logistical challenges of a world in lockdown.

Educational trainee programs help new professionals get a foot inside the door

Last year, Kontali was looking for new analysts to join our team in Kristiansund. We found Maren through the NCE Seafood Trainee program, a trainee program for young people aiming for a career in the seafood industry. The program is for recent graduates or new employees, organised by The Seafood Innovation Cluster.

“I was hired by Kontali through the NCE Seafood Trainee program, but as a full-time employee and not a trainee. It’s a great program where you get to share experiences and build a network with other trainees from the biggest seafood companies in Norway. I was recently in Bergen for one of the modules as part of their academic program. The program is dived into four modules, each with a specific topic including biology, economic aspects, sustainability, circular economy, technology and innovation.  Due to COVID-19 a lot of the gatherings have been digital, but we still have had very educational presentations from various representatives in the industry. The program has been very educational and beneficial to my work at Kontali”, says Maren.

In this game, numbers matter

For now, finishing up the brown crab study is the top priority for Maren. After that, further projects with EUMOFA awaits. No matter the project, as an Analyst, numbers and data play a huge role. ‘’Working at Kontali has really opened my eyes to how important reliable data is. In this industry, you quickly learn that you shouldn’t take good data for granted. Not only do you need a fondness for numbers, but you also need to understand the industry to use data in the right context. Lastly, a good analysis is only of use if the reader understands the content. Making data clear is often just as much work as actually doing the analysis. Good data is the backbone to any good analysis”, says Maren and we couldn’t agree more.