PRODUCTION STARTS AT VOPNAFJÖRDUR

Production of frozen capelin got under way at HB Grandi’s Vopnafjördur factory yesterday with a payload 455 tonnes of capelin landed by Faxi RE. According to factory manager Magnús Róbertsson, roughly half of the fish is expected to be suitable for freezing for markets in Eastern Europe. There is minimal feed in the fish and it is suitable for human consumption.

There has been a break in production since the end of the herring season in November. So the start of the capelin season is something to celebrate and Magnús Róbertsson said that a workforce of 65 to 70 staff work at the pelagic factory. The fishmeal plant is not due to be started up until there is more raw material to work with, but everything has been prepared for production.

Faxi’s fish is the first delivery of capelin this season from an HB Grandi vessel, although Ingunn AK and Lundey NS are on fishing grounds north of Slétta.

According to Ingimundur Ingimundarson, pelagic fleet manager, Ingunn had 600 tonnes on board earlier today and still had one more haul to go. Ingunn is expected to dock at Vopnafjördur tonight. Lundey had 330 tonnes in its tanks, and the weather is expected to dictate the length of its trip.

‘A storm is expected although the forecast is for better conditions than the earlier forecast predicted. We’re expecting the worst of the weather on Thursday and for conditions to calm down after that,’ Ingimundur Ingimundarson said.