The volume of fish and shellfish landed by Iceland’s fishing fleet increased by 13% or more than 137,000 tonnes last year, reaching a total 1,158,288 tonnes.
According to preliminary figures for 2021 gathered by the country’s Directorate of Fisheries, there were increases in the volumes of demersal, pelagic, flatfish and shellfish landings.
Within the demersal category, which amounted to 472,492 tonnes – a 2% rise on 2020 – cod landings decreased by 2% to 271,765 tonnes, and the redfish catch slipped 3% to 50,283 tonnes. However, the volumes of haddock (56,423 tonnes), and saithe (59,782 tonnes) were up by 4% and 19% respectively.
The flatfish catch climbed 7% to 24,736 tonnes, while shellfish landings rose 27% to 6,316 tonnes.
At the same time, last year’s total pelagic volume soared by 24% to 654,727 tonnes. While the mackerel catch decreased by 13% to 132,126 tonnes and blue whiting fell 22% to 190,147 tonnes, the herring volume was up 39% to 185,882 tonnes.
Also, after two years without any capelin, the fleet caught 146,566 tonnes in 2021.
The Directorate of Fisheries’ data also found that the December 2021 catch totaled 126,602 tonnes, which was 72% more than in the final month of 2020. There were increases in the month’s demersal (+18% to 34,095 tonnes), flatfish (+46% to 1,113 tonnes), and pelagic (+172% to 91,294 tonnes) species categories, while shellfish landings fell by 35% to just 101 tonnes.
