Síldarvinnslan’s processing plant in Neskaupstaður has maintained full production of mackerel, despite patchy fishing over the last week.
Mackerel are now being fished in home waters, and the company’s pelagic vessels, plus on operated by Samherji, are continuing a delivery schedule that was taken up when the fishery was in international waters and there were long distances to steam to discharge catches. Under the co-operative arrangement, each of the group of pelagic vessels pumps catches into the tanks of one vessel, which heads in to land, taking turns to ferry mackerel catches to port.
Tows have been yielding around 250 tonnes in recent days.
Beitir docked with the latest delivery, with 1440 tonnes in its tanks, following a 1400 tonne landing by Börkur at the weekend. Pelagic factory vessel Hákon has just landed 640 tonnes of frozen production direct to Síldarvinslan’s cold store.
‘The mackerel we have been getting is fine fish, often containing a considerable amount of feed, which affects production,’ said production manager Geir Sigurpáll Hlöðversson.
‘Right now we are producing fillets and H&G, and it’s because of the feed that we aren’t wholefreezing this fish. We have a steady supply of freshly caught fish and as everything is chilled on board, this is very good quality raw material. This season has gone well so far, and we can’t complain about anything.’
