Samherji’s pelagic vessel Vilhelm Thorsteinsson is among the first to land mackerel as the Icelandic fleet start its season this week, making its first landing of 850 tonnes in Neskaupstaður.
These fish were caught in international waters, where Vilhelm Thorsteinsson and Síldarvinnslan pelagic vessel Börkur have been searching for marks. Over the last few years the Samherji and Síldarvinnslan pelagic vessels have co-operated successfully in an arrangement that sees catches pumped on board one vessel in roation, so thes take turns steaming in to land.
This time there was a 34-hour, 400-nautical mile steam to Neskaupstaður to land what skipper Birkir Hreinsson described as excellent quality raw material.
‘Mackerel is at its most valuable at this time of year, and continues to put on weight as the season progresses. These are 400 gram fish, which is ideal for human consumption production,’ he said, adding that locating mackerel in catchable volumes isn’t easy as fishfinders provide limited information.
‘The mackerel are lying shallow, in the surface zone. We’re talking about from the surface down to around a hundred metres, which means it’s not easy to see mackerel on the instruments. It’s easier to find it with the trawl, as it was in this trip.’
Birkir Hreinsson said that Vilhelm Thorsteinsson will be heading back to fishing grounds as soon as discharging is complete, this time the roughly hundred nautical mile steam to areas south-west of Iceland and inside the EEZ.
‘It’s a good feeling to be steaming in Norðfjörður this morning in perfect weather. There’s always an excitement when a season starts,’ he said.
‘I’m fairly optimistic about how it will play out, the crew are all highly experienced and this is a ship that’s very well equipped in every way.’
