Danish landings of pelagic “industrifisk” reached more than 19,000 tonnes of blue whiting in March 2026, with sprat exceeding 24,000 tonnes in the same period, according to provisional data from the Danish Fisheries Agency.
The figures cover weeks 9 to 13. They show strong activity across key pelagic species used for fishmeal and oil.
March is driven by blue whiting and sprat
Blue whiting landings totalled about 19,100 tonnes in March. The highest weekly volume came in week 13, with over 7,300 tonnes.
Sprat was higher overall. Landings reached roughly 24,100 tonnes across the same period. The peak came in week 9, with more than 8,200 tonnes.
Week 10 stood out. No blue whiting landings were recorded. Sprat still reached over 5,300 tonnes.
Other industrial species were limited. Small volumes of horse mackerel and Norway pout appeared in some weeks. These did not affect the overall picture.
Skagen remains a key landing hub
Most pelagic volumes were landed in Skagen. The port handled the bulk of both blue whiting and sprat in March.
Thyborøn also received steady volumes, mainly sprat. Smaller landings were recorded in ports such as Nexø and Køge.
The pattern reflects the structure of the Danish pelagic fleet. Large vessels land directly at fishmeal plants in the north and west.
2026 totals show a strong pelagic base
For 2026 as a whole, total landings have already reached about 44,500 tonnes of blue whiting and nearly 59,900 tonnes of sprat.
This confirms the dominance of these two species in the industrial fish segment.
Other species remain minor. Horse mackerel stands at around 8,300 tonnes. Sandeel is not yet visible in large volumes in the dataset.
All figures are provisional and based on live weight. They may change as reporting is updated.