HB Grandi’s pelagic vessel Venus is back on the fishing grounds after its latest landing at Vopnafjördur last week. Fishing grounds are now east of the Faroe Islands, and according to the skipper for the last trip, Róbert Axelsson, the blue whiting are following much the same migration pattern as they did during last year’s season.
Fishing has been steady on blue whiting south of the Faroe Islands, with 12-15 hour tows and the fish are expected to shift as they begin to migrate northwards.
Denmark’s newest pelagic vessel, the Hirtshals-registered Ruth, has made a good start on blue whiting grounds west of the Hebrides.
Síldarvinnslan’s pelagic two vessels are now on grounds in the grey zone between the Irish and Faroese EEZs and inside the Faroese EEZ, although only twelve Icelandic vessels can fish inside the Faroese zone at any one time.
Iceland’s Ministry of Industries and Innovation has announced a 30% increase in this year’s blue whiting quota.
Following consultations with the foreign affairs committee, Faroese fisheries minister Høgni Hoydal has set this year’s quota for the Faroese fleet’s blue whiting fishery.
Norwegian pelagic vessels have been fishing south-west of St Kilda and 25 Norwegian and one Faroese vessels have landed 42,200 tonnes in the last week.
Faroese pelagic fishing and processing company Varðin Pelagic expects to extend its factory in Tvøroyri this year, focusing on the blue whiting fishery in Faroese waters.
Norwegian pelagic vessel Kvannøy has completed a full trip on blue whiting on fishing grounds deep west of Ireland, filling its tanks in record time and this time using Vónin fishing gear.
Fishing and processing company Eskja, based in the Icelandic east coast port of Eskifjörður, has contracted Skaginn and a group of partner companies to build a new pelagic processing plant. With a construction time of only six months, the new factory is scheduled to be ready for production in September this year.