Icelandic seafood company, BRIM, has finished herring fishing for the year.
Pelagic vessel Víkingur docked in Vopnafjörður at the end of October with 1275 tonnes of herring in its tanks. Currently sister vessel Venus is being discharged and both pelagic catchers have finished their herring fishery for this year.
Fishing has been in an area around 300 nautical miles from Vopnafjörður, some way closer than the current fishing grounds by 100 to 150 nautical miles. "We had some good fishing this trip," said Víkingur’s skipper, Hjalti Einarsson. "We found a patch of herring some way west of where the rest of the fleet has been fishing for the last few days. It wasn’t a big mark, but it was a comfortable amount for one or two boats."
This was Víkingur’s second trip after a minor breakdown that resulted in being dry-docked in Akureyri. The previous trip was 1240 tonnes. "This is fine Atlanto-Scandian herring," he continued. "The average weight is the same as it has been for the later part of the season at 380 - 400 grams."
Hjalti Einarsson added that most of the Icelandic fleet has now caught its herring quota, and only Heimaey and Sigurður were still on the fishing grounds when Víkingur hauled its gear.
"Once we have finished discharging I expect we’ll steam to Reykjavík. Then we’ll wait for the blue whiting to start. That could be around mid-November," he concluded.
