Pelagic vessel Barði, operated by Síldarvinnslan, has made a start on blue whiting and landed its first trip.
Barði sailed from Neskaupstaður before the weekend, and the trip was cut short due to exceptionally heavy weather conditions that passed over eastern Iceland during the weekend.
According to skipper Thorkell Pétursson, they only managed two hauls before the weather closed in, but Barði landed 750 tonnes before heading out again.
‘We only had two tows. The first was a three-hour tow for 250 tonnes and the second was towed for nine hours and that was 500 tonnes. The catch was taken in 240-300 metres and fishing is only during darkness as the fish disperse in daylight,’ he said.
‘The fish are quite mixed, but this is good quality raw material for production. This looks like a good start, with fish to be seen over a wide area. I’d say that there is more to be seen than when we started on blue whiting in early October last year.’
