ANNONCER
HB Grandi’s pelagic factory at Vopnafjördur will be running at full capacity this weekend freezing herring and mackerel, in spite of this being a Bank Holiday weekend in Iceland, and according to Magnús Róbertsson, in charge of production, there is no slowing of the pace expected until the autumn when the mackerel and herring quotas are expected to be finished.
As the sea temperature rises east of Iceland, so it seems that the mackerel are increasingly abundant. Arnthór Hjörleifsson, skipper of HB Grandi’s pelagic vessel Lundey NS, says that there have been some significant changes in the last few days and the water temperature has risen by 2.5°C in a fairly short time.
The MS 2730 advanced salmon filleter and Innova production management software are among the products featured at Marel Stand F-544, at this year’s Aqua Nor exhibition, being staged from August 16-19, in Trondheim’s Spektrum centre. As ever, a team of Marel professionals will also be on hand to discuss the company’s full range of fisheries and aquaculture-related systems and products at the Trondheim event.
Saemark’s cod and haddock fisheries have been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification after successful assessment.
Total catch of Icelandic vessels in May 2011 was 43,421 tonnes compared to 73,550 tonnes in May 2010.
Two of HB Grandi’s fresher trawlers, Ottó N Thorláksson RE-203 and Sturlaugur H Bödvarsson AK-10 see the thirtieth anniversaries of their first trips to sea this year.
HB Grandi’s processing plants and fishmeal factories at Akranes and Vopnafjördur took delivery of 61,000 tonnes of raw material during the recent season, split roughly equally between the two locations. This represents a significant difference to the previous season when only 21,600 tonnes were landed at the two plants.
Norwegian and Icelandic trawler skippers have reported the Barents Sea is virtually brimming with cod and haddock.
The company’s pelagic vessels finished their allocated capelin quota yesterday, with the final shot of the season taken by Ingunn AK. According to Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson, head of HB Grandi’s pelagic division, this is the end of the season, unless there are any late changes. Only a western migration of capelin now could lead to a further increase in the quota.
There was some excellent fishing on Sunday off Snæfellsnes once the wind had dropped around the middle of the day. But conditions were still difficult with heavy seas and may of the purse seiners damaged their gear. According to Lundey NS’s skipper Arnthór Hjörleifsson, there was no chance of being able to fish on Saturday, but as soon as it was safe to set the gear on Sunday there were some good shots straight away. There was a heavy swell on the fishing areas south of Malarrif and some exceptionally difficult conditions.
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