The total volume of fish and shellfish landed by the Iceland’s fishing fleet in March 2024 fell by 77% or almost 200,000 tonnes year-on-year to 60,434 tonnes, according to preliminary figures for the month gathered by the country’s Directorate of Fisheries.
While last month’s demersal landings decreased 7% to 39,620 tonnes, with cod, haddock, saithe and redfish catches falling 9%, 13%, 14% and 7%, respectively, to 22,066 tonnes, 7,432 tonnes, 4,347 tonnes and 3,006 tonnes, there was a far bigger drop in the pelagic catch, with a total 18,185 tonnes (down 92% year-on-year).
Within the pelagic category, there was a 100% upturn in blue whiting to 18,184 tonnes, but no capelin was caught versus 215,012 tonnes in March 2023. Zero mackerel and herring catches were also recorded.
At the same time, Iceland’s flatfish volume decreased 29% to 2,210 tonnes and its shellfish catch slipped 10% to 422 tonnes.
The Directorate of Fisheries’ data also determined that the April 2023 to March 2024 catch totalled 1,073,117 tonnes, which was 26% less than in the previous 12-month period. It found decreases in all of the main fisheries, with the demersal, pelagic, flatfish and shellfish volumes amounting to 403,878 tonnes (-9%), 640,191 tonnes (-34%), 23,468 tonnes (-6%) and 5,524 tonnes (-15%), respectively.
It’s expected that many key stakeholders from Iceland’s fisheries sector will be attending and supporting the 14th Icelandic Fisheries, Seafood & Aqua Exhibition (IceFish), taking place 18-20 September 2024 at the Smárinn, Fifan Halls Kópavogur, Iceland.
