ANNONCER
Síldarvinnslan’s pelagic vessel Beitir has broken a few records this week after docking at Neskaupstaður in eastern Iceland last night with 3000 tonnes of capelin on board.
Freezer trawler Blængur sailed from Neskaupstaður yesterday after an extensive refit.
Less than 24 hours after the seamen’s strike ended on Sunday night, two of Síldarvinnslan’s pelagic vessels were steaming home with 5200 tonnes of capelin.
Members of Iceland’s seamen’s unions last night accepted the agreements reached with owners’ federation SFS in a ballot held around the country.
Iceland’s Ministry of Education has taken the decision that fishing gear technology, taught as an apprenticeship leading ultimately to a master netmaker’s qualification, will remain on the register of recognised trades in Iceland.
Votes have been cast and are now being counted all around Iceland as the seamen’s unions memberships deliver their verdict on the deal hammered out between unions and owners’ federation SFS early on Saturday morning.
After a high-pressure couple of days as the stakes were ratcheted up, Iceland’s Seamen’s Unions have been in intensive talks with the owner’s federation SFS and an agreement was reached late last night.
The agreements hinge on being accepted by union memberships that have already voted down two agreements, but this time the deal is expected to be accepted, and the fleet should be back at sea tomorrow.
Norwegian purse seiner Roaldsen was on its way to land at the Síldarvinnslan factory at Neskaupstaður in eastern Iceland with 430 tonnes of capelin in its tanks when a strong mark appeared on the sounder and skipper Erling Roaldsen reacted quickly, shooting away for an additional 70 tonnes of good-quality capelin.
The Ministry of Fisheries has decided to increase this season’s capelin quota to 299,000 tonnes, of which approximately 196,000 tonnes goes to the Icelandic fleet.
The chairman of Icelandic Seamen’s Union SSÍ commented last night that a final offer has been made to vessel operators’ federation SFS in the long-running seamen’s strike that has crippled the Icelandic fleet since mid-December.
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