This year’s North Sea sandeel season came to a close in early August, and this marks a challenging year for the industry.
Processing plants run by Marine Ingredients Denmark this year took delivery of 89,000 tonnes – a 50,000 tonne drop compared to last year’s landings. The decision by the UK to close its waters to sandeel fishing underscores the difficulties faced by the sector.
The quota for this year’s sandeel season was set at 141,636 tonnes for the Danish fleet, although the fleet’s actual landed volumes came to just 68,000 tons were landed, approximately 63% of the allocated quota.
A major factor in the reduced landings this season was the closure of British waters. These waters have traditionally been important for Danish fishermen. The restrictions have made it necessary to explore alternative fishing grounds.
In the future, the focus is likely to shift to evaluating the impact of the lower landings on the supply chain, including the production of fishmeal and the availability of feed for aquaculture.
‘A formal discussion is expected in the autumn between the EU and the UK, concerning the UK’s latest actions regarding the terms of the Brexit deal,’ and representative of Marine Ingredients Denmark stated.
‘We expect further developments from these discussions and how this will affect future fisheries.’
