Fishmeal plants in the east of Iceland have been taking delivery of a series of substantial blue whiting landings, as the usual winter capelin season remains uncertain.
More than 9000 tonnes of blue whiting have been landed to Síldarvinnslan’s fishmeal plants over the last few days. Beitir landed 2500 tonnes in Seyðisfjörður, followed by Hákon with 1650 tonnes. Börkur landed 3100 tonnes to the Neskaupstaður factory, followed by Barði with 2200 tonnes.
‘It’s started well. There was good fishing when we got to the grounds and it slowed down a little. Just as we headed for home, the fishing improved and the pelagic vessels there have been doing very well,’ said Beitir’s skipper Tómas Kárason, adding that they have been fishing in Faroese waters, close to the UK line.
‘Our fish was taken in seven hauls, towed for 11-12 hours. This year’s started well and we need to keep on top of this as there’s a large blue whiting quota and we need to manage our time well.’
As the fleet is landing to fishmeal plants on the east coast, a capelin survey is just starting. Research vessel Árni Friðriksson sailed earlier this week to carry out a survey that is partly funded by pelagic fishing and processing companies.
The intention is to gather data about the migration and distribution of capelin off the north and east of Iceland that can be used to assess at what point the most accurate stock measurement can be taken, and to assess the volume already on the capelin grounds and possibly how much could migrate early into warmer south-western waters and be lost from the survey area.
The survey is expected to take one to two weeks, and will be followed by the conventional stock assessment survey involving both of the Institute’s research vessels. Those assessments will contribute data towards the capelin quota advice for this season.
