HÖFRUNGUR III – GOOD TRIP ON REDFISH AND GREENLAND HALIBUT

Freezer trawler Höfrungur III AK docked in Akureyri late last night, as the ship is there for dry-docking. The vessel docked in Reykjavík last Monday with 9500 cartons in its fishroom, after having completed a half-landing in Reykjavík ten days earlier, making the trip’s total 12,300 cartons.

Skipper Haraldur Árnason is satisfied with this 26-day trip.

‘We were particularly looking for redfish and Greenland halibut this trip and started off the south-west. From there we shifted to the Víkuráll Gully which is a good place for Greenland halibut. The Hampidjan Square is just outside the Hali Grounds and there the tows are generally from 300 fathoms and down to 500 fathoms. The deepest we went this time was 450 fathoms and had some good fishing on Greenland halibut, plus there’s always deep sea redfish to be had there,’ he said.

From there Höfrungur III moved over to the Hali Grounds and did well on redfish.

‘We finished the trip off the east coast on the Greenland halibut grounds off the Hérádsflói and Seydisfjördur Deeps. The fish are in shallower water there and we were fishing mostly in 200 to 300 fathoms,’ he said, commenting that the intention was to fill the fishroom with good quality redfish and some Greenland halibut.

According to Haraldur Árnason, it’s now maintenance time for Höfrungur III in the dry dock.

‘We need to overhaul all of the equipment on board and the plan is to sandblast the bottom. This kind of overhaul normally takes four weeks so we should be back at sea in a month if everything goes according to plan.’