As the blue whiting fishery again gets underway for the Icelandic pelagic fleet, Síldarvinnslan’s Börkur has made a strong start.
Börkur sailed on Sunday and reported 860 tonnes for its first two tows at the northern end of the Rose Garden to the east of Iceland.
‘The blue whiting looks to be fine quality. The fish are on the large side and they’re fat, so should make ideal raw material for fishmeal production,’ said skipper Herbert Jónsson.
‘There’s attention on how well we’re doing out here on our own. There are more pelagic vessels on the way and then we’ll have a better idea of how broad the fishing grounds are.’
There’s currently a gap in the Síldarvinnslan fleet since Barði suffered a fire on board some weeks ago and repairs are not expected to be complete until the autumn.
To fill the temporary vacancy, Bjarni Ólafsson has been un-mothballed after having been alongside in Neskaupstaður since the end of the 2024 capelin season.
‘This looks positive. We know the ship well, although there are things we’ll have to refamiliarise with,’ said skipper Thorkell Pétursson.
‘After being laid up for two years there are a few things that need to be spruced up. We’re taking new warps on board, and then fishing gear.’
He commented that it’s not yet certain when they can expect to sail.
‘The crew are happy to be getting back to sea and satisfied that it’s possible to make use of Bjarni Ólafsson under these circumstances.’
