Minister of Fisheries Kristján Thór Júlíusson has signed off a regulation to increase the quota allocation to the coastal fishery.
The coastal fishery is limited to smaller fishing vessels during the summer months, working solely with hooked gears.
Without the addition to the 11,100 tonne quota allocated to the coastal fleet at the beginning of the 2020-21 quota year, fishing could have been expected to have been brought to an end around mid-August.
The Minister’s decision adds a 1171 tonnes of cod to the coastal quota, making use of an unallocated amount under the exchange mechanism for mackerel and other species. This makes this year’s overall quota for the coastal fishery 12,271 tonnes of ungutted groundfish, including 11,171 tonnes of cod.
On the 19th of July, the 42nd day of fishing under the coastal fishery scheme, 7870 tonnes had been landed, of which 7280 tonnes were cod, equivalent to 190 tonnes per day, of which around 170 tonnes has been cod.
The additional quota is expected to make it possible for the coastal fishery to continue to the end of August.
