After a stormy week in the North Sea, fishing conditions finally improved over the weekend – and the results were impressive. More than 8,000 tonnes of mackerel were reported. At the same time, the first catches of Norwegian spring-spawning herring (NVG herring) arrived from the north.
NVG herring: Season gets underway
The first reports of NVG herring came over the weekend. The Karmøy vessel Zenit was the first to land, quickly followed by Vikingbank.
A total of 2,230 tonnes of herring were registered on Sunday, mainly from waters west of Sørøya. The fish ranged in size from 235 to 322 grams, marking a promising start to the northern herring season.
Mackerel: Strong recovery after storms
Severe weather dominated much of the week, but once conditions eased, the mackerel fleet made the most of the calm.
In total, 8,044 tonnes of mackerel were reported, with the best days being Saturday (1,744 tonnes) and Sunday (3,260 tonnes).
The brand-new vessel Knester got off to a flying start, landing 385 tonnes on its maiden trip Saturday evening.
Altogether, 38 vessels were active – 34 Norwegian and four foreign – with catches taken mainly in UK waters. The fish had an average weight between 420 and 505 grams.
Coastal sprat and blue whiting: Quiet week
Coastal fishing remained slow, except for four small catches of sprat – three from Hardangerfjord and one from Rogaland – totalling 50 tonnes.
The vessel Piraja also reported 330 tonnes of blue whiting from the Edge area.