On 27 October, HB Grandi’s pelagic vessel ‘Lundey NS’ grounded while fishing for herring off Hofsstadavogur in Breidafjördur, in the west of Iceland.
Lundey suffered minor damage - two of the sonar transducers were damaged and the hull was dented. The vessel is currently at Akranes awaiting parts, after being floated off after water was pumped out of the bottom tanks.
Karl Sigurjónsson, the company’s marine superintendent at Akranes, said that the conditions at Hofsstadavogur are difficult for vessels deploying large purse seines. Lundey had been fishing in a deep gully between the shore and the Purk islands, just off Kóngsbakki, where the water shoals rapidly on both sides. Lundey’s crew were preparing for the first shot when the incident occurred.
Mr Sigurjónsson said that it was fortunate that the gear was still onboard when the ship grounded. He expects Lundey to be back at sea by next weekend.
