Results of the research surveys carried out by research vessels and one commercial fishing vessel have been digested and Iceland’s Marine Research Institute has decided on a 57,000 tonne capelin quota.
The survey was carried out by research vessels Árni Friðriksson and Bjarni Sæmundsson and the Greenland-flagged commercial vessel Polar Amaroq as Icelandic fishing vessels are tied up due to the ongoing seamen’s strike. Under normal circumstances, two more commercial vessels would have taken part.
The area surveyed stretches from the Greenland continental shelf across the north of Iceland and as far as the Icelandic east coast over two periods from 12-15th of January and 17-20th January, with the break in between due to heavy weather conditions. Weather was reasonable during the second survey period, but was hampered by sea ice over part of the survey area.
The stock was estimated at 446,000 tonnes. Based on the catch rule established in 2015 to leave 150,000 tonnes to spawn, and taking into account errors in stock calculation, natural mortality and predation by whitefish species, the result is a 57,000 tonne quota, one of the smallest capelin quotas in recent years.
