The course of the fisheries as per 17th of January

High activity on Atlanto Scandic herring - especially coastal vessels. Good volumes of mackerel from foreign vessels - and the season's first vessels on their way for their Icelandic capelin, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Norges Sildesalgslag.

Atlanto Scandic herring
A good week all together; 49.000 MT of Atlanto Scandic herring were reported. The coastal vessels represented more than half of this volume (29.300 MT). The weather conditions have been favourable all week and the fishing has taken place in a relatively large area west off Andenes outside Vesterålen/Lofoten and southwards to Træna. As usual the size of the herring varies and normally the best size herring is found up in front of the migration. Last week the best sized herring was found close to Vesterålen. The highest average; 320 g and at the lowest; 250 g. Total average for the week; 291 g. The prices have also been good and through the week the prices have, in fact, been climbing. At the lowest; NOK 3,22 and at the best; NOK 4,51 with a total average of NOK 4,10. In the forthcoming week high activity is expected to continue as long as prices are this good.

Mackerel
The mackerel volume last week has also been high considered this time of the year. As a total 17.800 MT were reported caught. The mackerel is mainly delivered by foreign vessels, but two Nw vessels have participated with 600 MT. This is unusual at this time of the year. The mackerel has been caught north- west off the Hebrides and the average size is fairly low; 320-380 g. Even if the size is not the best, prices have been good; in the range from NOK 8-10. So far this month 31.700 MT of mackerel have been sold, so far a quantity equal to the entire quantity of January last year.

North Sea herring
A total of 8 catches have been reported, amounting to 1.900 MT last week. This herring has been caught in the EU zone between 59º 30' and 60º 00' N. The demand for North Sea herring is still very good and most of the herring is sold to a price above NOK 4. Some vessels have declared they will go for the North Sea herring this coming week as well.

Capelin Iceland
The draw for vessels for the Icelandic capelin was finished, and the first vessels left on Wednesday. 13 vessels headed west and the first catches were reported on Sunday. In some areas high volumes have been registered, but with a tendency to stay deep. From a field further south (65º N) 4 vessels have been fishing. Here the capelin is not found so deep, but it has been more scattered.

Ocean sprat
The three last vessels going for the ocean sprat reported their catches last week. Thus the final part of the 10.000 MT quota was taken. By the end the last vessel had to move west off Dogger where good sized sprat was found, and this vessel managed to deliver its catch for human consumption to a price nearly twice the price for meal&oil.