The spring season is always the busy time of year for the south of Iceland, and this year is no exception as fishing and processing demersal fish has been non-stop in the Westmann Islands since the end of the seamen’s strike in February.
Westmann Islands fishing and processing company Vinnslustöðin (VSV) has seen its vessels fishing with hardly a break and the factory is working six days a week
According to groundfish production manager Gunnar Páll Hálfdánsson, the season looks promising.
‘The boats have been fishing well, but production has been able to keep up and our staff are rising to the challenge. The key is that catching and processing have to keep pace with each other so that quality stays high,’ he said.
Brynjólfur has been fishing well with static nets, fishing west of the islands on nearby grounds, with the catch processed as saltfish at VSV, mainly large cod and some saithe. Kap II is being fitted out for netting. Gullberg has been fishing mainly saithe and redfish, while Drangavík has been trawling on shallow grounds for mainly large grades of cod, plus some redfish, haddock and saithe. Trawl-caught fish is either processed by VSV or shipped direct to overseas auctions, and Drangavík is now switching to the nephrops fishery with the season about to start.
