Norwegian fishery activities, week 37, 2010

Bad weather hampered the good mackerel fishery, the Norwegian Spring Herring fishery is underway in the north and the sprat fishery in Hardanger is almost over, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Norges Sildesalgslag.

Mackerel:

This week mackerel fishery was reduced compared to the past two weeks. The main course is bad weather and the fact that there we no catches Thursday and Friday. Saturday night things quieted down and vessels started fishing in the EU-zone, east of Shetland. In the northerly areas the vessels there found no catchable quantities of mackerel after the bad weather had run its course and most of the fleet left the area. The average size of the fish is no higher than in the beginning of the season and that, together with a reduced quantity caught, raises the average price this week to NOK 8,15 per kilo on the part of the purse seiners. The weeks total quantity ended on just over 22 600 tonnes.

Norwegian Spring Herring:

This week we saw the first catches from the northern fishery areas. "Havdron" reported in 700 tonnes from the area northwest of Andenes, between 71 and 72 degree north and 10 degree east. Total catches from this area was just over 8 000 tonnes. The average size of the herring was just over 300 grams. The price level varied from NOk 3,07 to NOK 3,32 per kilo for this northern herring. IN the coastal areas about 1 000 tonnes were caught, mainly from the Lofoten area but also a little from the Møre coastal areas. The average size from Lofoten was also about 300 grams, but this herring was paid a little lower price. Coastal Sprat:In the area of outer Hardangerfjord only two catches were made this week for a total of 16 tonnes of sprat.From Monday the 20th of September at 8 p.m. the sprat fishery in Sognefjorden opens. 

Industrial Fishery:

2 500 tonnes of Blue Whiting and Norway pout were caught last week. There is only a small number of vessels participating in these fisheries at this time.