Family in fisheries – calls for a united fishing industry

The family behind Lending Rederi has fishing in its blood – and for the parents and their children, fishing is as much a passion as it is a career. Every other year, fishing operations permitting, they make the trip to Nor-Fishing to keep abreast of new technology and talk to fellow fishers.

Both Linne Lending and her husband, Magnar, come from fishing families. The couple have two sons and a daughter, all of whom work in the family-run fishing company. Linne is the managing director, while Magnar is the skipper.

After operating a larger fishing company for many years, they recently took over another company with two vessels of approximately 40 feet.

«In many ways, we are back where we started in the early 1990s, when we bought our first small fishing vessel. Throughout our journey, we have retained our passion for fisheries and our deep interest in the profession. We still get that unique thrill on days when the catch is good, and those small moments motivate us to head back out when catches are poor and the weather is bad,» Magnar says.

44 years of attending Nor-Fishing

Magnar first attended Nor-Fishing in 1982, when he was 12 years old. Since then, he has attended most editions of the exhibition, missing only those occasions when fishing operations took precedence.

Linne Lending is the company’s managing director and is actively involved in the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association. Her commitment to the fishing profession is equally lifelong. She considers it a great privilege to share her working life with her husband, sons and daughter.

«We have always been adamant that our children must choose their own paths in life. As a mother, I am delighted that they all eventually decided to pursue careers in fisheries. At the same time, having our entire family at sea makes us even more conscious of safety,» she says.

Fishers must stand united

At the exhibition, Linne and Magnar greatly appreciate the strong sense of community. This year, they have spent a great deal of time at the Fishers’ Joint Stand in Hall E.

«Norway’s fishers form an open and inclusive community, and sharing our experiences is extremely valuable to us all. It is important that fishers stand united, and I personally look forward to shaping the future together with other Norwegian fishers. Meeting places such as Nor-Fishing are vital if we are to succeed together,» she says.

Linne also highlights the skippers’ meeting organised by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries during the exhibition as an important gathering point.

Meeting suppliers and exploring new technology

They also use the exhibition to explore new fishing technology and speak with suppliers.

«If something new has entered the market, we are bound to see it here at Nor-Fishing. When we are planning an investment and need to choose between several suppliers, it is extremely useful to visit their stands, compare solutions and discuss the advantages and disadvantages.»

They often take advantage of offers they receive during the exhibition.

«We spend our days at the exhibition gathering information and then review the offers at our leisure afterwards. Over the years we have attended, we have made quite a few purchases following the exhibitions,» Linne concludes.