Icelandic marine research vessel Árni Friðriksson earlier this month concluded its role in this year’s North Atlantic pelagic survey, alongside Norwegian, Faroese and Danish research institutes.
Árni Friðriksson covered 6000 nautical miles over 33 days, with 65 tows taken, in addition to acoustic sampling during the survey to assess the distribution of mackerel, herring and blue whiting.
The distribution of mackerel was the lowest since the first such survey was carried out in 2010.
Mackerel were found in just five of 43 surface tows, all of these in the south-eastern part of the Icelandic EEZ. Three of these tows produced relatively small amounts of mackerel.
Atlanto-Scandian herring were located across northern and eastern areas, while lower volumes of Icelandic summer-spawning herring were identified to the south and west of Iceland.
Volumes of blue whiting at the edge the continental shelf were similar to those measured last year.
Initial conclusions indicate that the sea surface temperature is similar to last year’s to the south and west of Iceland, but cooler to the north and the east.
