Lundey NS started its capelin fishing with between 1100 and 1200 tonnes that were caught off Reykjanes at the end of last week in three shots. Lundey is now due to Vopnafjördur to discharge, where the catch will be processed for roe, freezing and reduction.
According to Ingimundur Ingimundarson, HB Grandi´s pelagic fleet manager, the indications are that the capelin has a 25% roe content with a roughly equal distribution of male and female fish. Lundey is due to dock in Vopnafjördur on Saturday evening, where the long-awaited capelin roe production can finally start. Faxi RE is scheduled to start fishing on Sunday and Ingunn AK on the following day if the weather forecast turns out to be accurate. All three vessels are expected to land their fish in Vopnafjördur.
‘It’s something to celebrate. Everything’s ready and we’re just waiting for Lundey to arrive. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time and it’s like waiting for Christmas to begin,’ said Magnús Róbertsson, HB Grandi’s production manager at the Vopnafjördur plant.
He said that production starts with the fish being graded as soon as the first fish are pumped ashore. How much of the male fish can be frozen depends on the grading. But the main factor is the extraction and freezing of capelin roe. This season they will be using a new set of equipment, a roe dryer that was developed in co-operation with Skaginn, which also manufactures the roe dryers.
