Sandeel season has started

Two norwegian vessels had sandeel catches both in the EU-zone and later in the norwegian zone after the fishery opened there on April 23rd. The vessels are reporting slow fishing, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Norges Sildesalgslag.

Svanavag and Libas reported catches of 150 and 500 tonnes repectively after they both had been fishing first in the EU-zone further south.
Both catches will be landed at Egersund Sildoljefabrikk.
6-7 vessels are now fishing in the area and several others are on their way to the fishing grounds.

In 2011 Norwegian vessels have a sandeel quota of 60 000 tonnes in Norwegian waters and an additional 20 000 tonnes that can be taken at Doggerbank. The total sandeel quota as suggested by ICES is 360 000 tonnes and Danish vessel have just over 334 000 tonnes of the total.
The Danish fleet can catch sandeel in 5 of 7 set areas in the North Sea but the majority will be taken in Area 1 ( Doggerbank)

Last year Norwegian vessels landed 77 500 tonnes of sandeel and almost all of it was landed in Norway. The average price was NOK 1.97.
Foreign vessels landed almost 26 000 tonnes sandeel in Norway in 2010.
So far in 2011 the Danish fleet has landed their catches in Denmark.