HERRING HEADING EAST

Direct fishing on Atlanto-Scandian herring started recently and catches have been variable so far. According to Albert Sveinsson, skipper of Faxi RE, sometimes there’s nothing to be found and in between there are good marks that always give a good catch.

Faxi is now fishing around 90 nautical miles east of Glettinganes off the east of Iceland and he said that it is clear the herring are heading eastwards.

‘While we were fishing for mackerel we often saw herring marks in the Hérádsflói Deeps, but the marks we saw now on the way out from Vopnafjördur and on the way back aren’t strong ones and the herring have shifted east of Iceland,’ Albert Sveinsson said, commenting that Faxi reached the fishing grounds yesterday. That day wasn’t a successful one, with the gear tangled and the day spent fixing it.

‘We towed last night for just 80 tonnes. Then there was a good mark this morning and we’ve just finished hauling. It looks like this haul is around 180 tonnes,’ he said.

So far this season herring catches have been mixed with some blue whiting and mackerel.

‘We prefer to keep clear of the blue whiting as that causes problems with the size grading ashore. But the herring is good quality, in top condition and the mackerel we have been getting is all good-sized fish in good condition,’ Albert Sveinsson said.

Lundey NS is now landing at Vopnafjördur and Ingunn AK is on its way to fishing grounds.