According to the press communiqué Akranes factory has resumed its production after a long break when pelagic vessel Faxi RE last night started land between a catch of between 1400 and 1500 tonnes of herring caught in Breidafjördur. It is now expected that the factory would have more herring shortly.
Almar Sigurjónsson, production manager, told that production was been suspended after they finished producing from blue whiting last spring. He was speaking at the starting up function of the factory. He told that the plant can handle between 900 and 1000 tonnes of raw material per day, although he expected production to be fairly slow to begin with and for the plant to be run on double shifts to begin with.
It is said that HB Grandi has a 4500 tonne share of the initial quota for Icelandic summer-spawning herring and this is roughly equivalent to one trip each for the company’s three pelagic vessels. It is expected that the quota will be increased, based on research into the state and strength of the stock. Lundey NS is now taking part in research into the herring in the Kolluál fishing grounds, organised by the Marine Research Institute.
Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson, head of HB Grandi’s pelagic division, said that Lundey will be taking part in this for two days, after which Faxi will take its place.
