The Commission has proposed Total Allowable Catches (TAC) for a number of species for 2019 and 2020, in an effort to restore deep-sea fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic. Based on scientific advice, these new measures will enable stocks to gradually rebuild to sustainable levels.
Bergur-Huginn trawler Vestmannaey docked last week after its 44th trip so far this year with a full fishroom, containing 70 tonnes of haddock and cod. This was the trip that took the trawler’s overall catch value through the ISK10 billion (€79.85 million) barrier.
The two trawlers operated by Icelandic company Bergur-Huginn had their best month ever in April this year, between them landing 1538 tonnes and with each of them spending 17 days at sea. The company’s previous record month was in 2009 – when there were three trawlers in the company fleet.
Shetland’s whitefish market continued its record-breaking streak by topping the 400,000-box mark in 2017.
The European Parliament’s vote on multi-annual plan for demersal fish stocks in the North Sea poses concerns to industry, according to fishing industry body Europêche.
The challenges facing groundfish fishermen in Iceland can’t have escaped anyone familiar with the sector, according to Örn Pálsson, director of the National Association of Small Boat Owners (NASBO), who points out that fish prices have not been as low as they are today for years.
When the new trawler docked in Akureyri a few days ago after a 4000-nautical mile, 15-day delivery trip from the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey, it was Icelandic fishing company Samherji's first newbuilt vessel to join its fleet for seventeen years.
It’s now ten years since Icelandic company Bergur-Huginn took delivery of its trawler Vestmannaey in 2007. The 29 metre fresher trawler was built in Poland and replaced a larger freezer trawler as the company changed direction to focus on fresh landings.
Plans announced by Icelandic fishing and processing company to close its groundfish production at Akranes have come in for sharp criticism in the media.
The spring season is always the busy time of year for the south of Iceland, and this year is no exception as fishing and processing demersal fish has been non-stop in the Westmann Islands since the end of the seamen’s strike in February.