Síldarvinnslan’s pelagic vessels sailed from Neskaupstaður on Saturday and have found the first capelin of the season off the north-east of Iceland, before the usual research surveys have even started.
Beitir reported last night that they had been taken by surprise with a 650 tonne first haul after towing for six hours, followed by a 150 tonne shot after a longer tow.
Skipper Halfdán Halfdánarson on Börkur reported 300 tonne and 200 tonne hauls after towing five and then eight hours.
‘There wasn’t much to be seen in the darkness last night,’ he said, commenting that there was more life to be seen as daylight broke, while conditions had also improved after a spell of bad weather.
‘This isn’t heavy fishing, but it’s a good start,’ he said, reporting that the fishing was in an area 55 nautical miles north-east of Langanes, with a group of seven pelagic vessels fishing there. The capelin are good quality, and contain some feed.
HB Grandi’s pelagic vessels Víkingur and Venus are in the same area, along with Ísfélag’s Sigurður and Heimaey, and Greenlandic pelagic vessel Polar Amaroq.
The Marine Research Institute’s annual capelin survey at this time of year has yet to get underway.
Under normal circumstances the pelagic fleet would be looking to be fishing blue whiting at this time of year, but with the lack of an agreement on reciprocal access with the Faroe Islands, access to the Faroese EEZ where much of the blue whiting fishery takes place remains closed.
