ANNONCER
Production of frozen capelin roe has started at HB Grandi’s Vopnafjördur factory, with extraction begun on catch landed by Venus the night before last, with a capelin roe content of around 20%. Further east along the coast, Síldarvinnslan’s factory at Neskaupstaður is also gearing up for roe production now that frozen production for the Japanese market is over.
Three Icelandic trawlers have fallen foul of by-catch regulations in Norwegian waters as Coastguard inspections showed high levels of haddock in their cod catches, resulting in heavy fines.
Síldarvinnslan’s processing factory at Neskaupstaður in eastern Iceland has begun freezing capelin for markets in Asia and Eastern Europe after catch rates increased in the last few days.
Kristján Loftsson, owner of Iceland’s whaling vessels and whaling company Hvalur HF, has announced that there will be no fin whale hunt this year. The hunt for smaller minke whales, with which he is not involved and which supplies meat exclusively to the local market, is expected to continue as usual.
A group in Iceland is planning to launch a new fishing industry exhibition this year, to be held at the Laugardalshöll sports and exhibition centre in Reykjavík 28th to 30th of September. Preparations have been underway for two years and companies of all sizes are ready to take part.
With an allocated quota of only 100,000 tonnes for this season, the capelin fishery is expected to be a short one this year for the Icelandic fleet.
Iceland’s Seamen’s Union yesterday voted to prepare for strike action, while also passing a motion in favour of making every effort to reach an agreement with vessel owners.
Of the 30 Norwegian pelagic vessels in Icelandic waters, only 25 may fish at any one time and those landing in Icelandic ports are required to wait at the quay until their turn comes around again.
Icelandic processor HB Grandi plans to resume roundfish processing at its Vopnafjörður location where it has concentrated in recent years on pelagic processing and fishmeal production, and has invested heavily in both shore facilities and new pelagic vessels.
Based in eastern Iceland, Hjálmar ehf has purchased longliner Óli á Stað GK-99 from Grindavík company Stakkavík, along with a 1164 tonne quota in the hooked fishing permit system, and in exchange Hjálmar’s parent company Loðnuvinnslan has parted with a 200 tonne quota in the main quota system.