The EU has just set out this year’s sandeel quotas and there is good news in store for Danish fishing, which looks to be getting the best quotas the fleet has seen for more than ten years. In February ICES announced its advice on sandeel fisheries, with the expectation that there would be a healthy 2017 quota.
The Danish Fishermen's Producers Organisation (DFPO) and The Danish Pelagic Producers Organisations (DPPO) have been awarded MSC certification for the sandeel, Norway pout and sprat fisheries.
The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR) has advised a 50,000 tonne preliminary sandeel quota for this year. The advice applies to the Norwegian EEZ and will be updated in May.
The sea is full of fish that may not be caught, according to FF Skagen CEO Johannes Palsson, commenting on the reduction in catches of industrial species for protein production.
A new 49.95 metre pelagic vessel has been ordered by the owners of the Lingbank from Karstensens in Skagen, the company’s first newbuilding.
The latest delivery from the Vestværft yard in Hvide Sande has been handed over to owners Gitte Henning and is ready to start fishing sandeel for human consumption. It has been designed to operate on herring, sandeel and sprat fisheries.
With the sandeel season almost ready to start, the Danish Pelagic PO, the Danish Fishermen’s PO and Marine Ingredients Denmark have lobbied fisheries minister Esben Lunde Larsen to sideline advice from DTU Aqua on sandeel.
Danish Minister of Fisheries Esben Lunde Larsen used his facebook page to announce the results of negotiations with the Council of Ministers that give the Danish fleet 13,000 tonnes of sandeel instead of the originally proposed 5000 tonnes on the Dogger Bank.
Concerns for the 2016 sandeel season expressed by Jesper Juul Larsen, chairman of the South-West Jutland Fishermen’s Association, appear to be well founded following the ICES quota recommendations last week.