With Iceland’s seamen on strike and negotiations in progress, the Seamen’s Union has rejected a request from the Marine Research Institute for an exemption for research purposes.
The Institute requested an exemption for two pelagic vessels that could take part in the annual capelin evaluation, a key part of the winter calendar as the yet to be decided capelin quota for the season depends largely on the results of research at sea, according to state broadcaster RÚV.
The schedule was for research vessels Árni Friðriksson and Bjarni Sæmundsson to be at the forefront of the research survey, alongside three commercial vessels.
The outlook now is for the research survey to be carried out by the two research vessels, plus Greenland-flagged pelagic vessel Polar Amaroq.
Other media have reported that fishing company HB Grandi decided against requesting an exemption for its two pelagic vessels to be able to take part in the survey.
RÚV quoted Seamen’s Union director Hólmgeir Jónsson as stating that the request was discussed several times before the decision was taken not to grant an exemption.
