The herring season is off to a strong start in East Iceland. Vessels from Síldarvinnslan (SVN) have landed thousands of tonnes of good-quality herring in Neskaupstaður, keeping the local factory running at full speed.
Good mix for processing
According to Geir Sigurpáll Hlöðversson, production manager at the fish factory, the catch is well-suited for processing. Around 70% of the herring is Norwegian-Icelandic, while 30% is Icelandic summer-spawning herring. The larger fish are frozen whole, while the smaller ones are processed into butterfly fillets.
He notes that the Icelandic summer herring is smaller and leaner than the Norwegian-Icelandic fish, but still of high quality.
Big landings from Barði, Beitir and Börkur
The trawler Barði NK landed 920 tonnes last weekend. Skipper Theodór Haraldsson described the fish as “prime herring”. The catch came in just three hauls, each lasting between 1.5 and 3 hours, in calm weather near Glettinganes and Seyðisfjörður.
On the same grounds, Beitir NK landed 600 tonnes in four hauls. After finishing processing, the vessel quickly returned to sea.
The largest shipment arrived when Börkur NK delivered 1,400 tonnes. Skipper Hjörvar Hjálmarsson said the trip went well, though the hauls varied from just 40 tonnes up to 700 tonnes.
Herring on the move
Skipper Hjörvar Hjálmarsson explained that the shoals were moving fast. “At times, the herring disappeared, then it appeared again. While we were fishing, it moved first west, then south,” he said.
He added that it was positive to see a growing share of Icelandic summer-spawning herring in the mix.
Busy season continues
With the factory working at full capacity, the outlook for the coming weeks remains strong. Barði is now heading to blue whiting, while Beitir and Börkur continue the herring season.