Blue whiting fishery in Faroese waters sees strong catches, large landings and high activity from Faroese and Icelandic vessels
Faroese Zone Emerges as Centre of Blue Whiting Fishery
The blue whiting fishery in Faroese waters has intensified, with large pelagic vessels from multiple nations reporting substantial catches and short fishing times.
Faroese vessels have been at the centre of the activity. The pelagic vessel “Birita” landed 2,065 tonnes of blue whiting to Havsbrún in Fuglafjørður over the weekend. This represents the vessel’s largest catch since joining the Faroese fleet. The vessel has already returned to fishing grounds in Faroese waters.
Similarly, the vessel “Finnur Fríði” landed 1,400 tonnes at Tvøroyri, delivering its catch to Varðin Pelagic for processing. Reports consistently describe fishing conditions in the Faroese zone as favourable.
The scale of catches is further illustrated by the Faroese vessel “Høgaberg”, which arrived in Norway with 3,300 tonnes. The vessel is landing to Pelagia in Karmsund before returning directly to the fishery.
Icelandic Fleet Reports High Catch Rates and Short Hauls
Icelandic pelagic vessels operating in the same zone have reported similarly strong results, with several vessels landing full cargoes within short timeframes.
“Barði NK” landed 2,100 tonnes, “Börkur NK” followed with 3,200 tonnes, and “Beitir NK” is expected to land approximately 3,000 tonnes. According to Síldarvinnslan, their fleet has already caught around 37,000 tonnes of blue whiting this year, with approximately 22,000 tonnes of quota remaining.
Fishing has taken place south and south-west of the Faroese Bank, where large concentrations of blue whiting have been observed across a wide area.
Thorkell Petursson, skipper of “Barði NK”, said fishing conditions had been highly productive, stating that “there is a lot of fish moving through the area” and confirming that the vessel secured its catch in six hauls lasting between four and twelve hours.
Hjorvar Hjalmarsson, skipper of “Börkur NK”, highlighted the efficiency of recent trips, stating that “we filled the vessel in five hauls over two and a half days”, adding that individual hauls ranged from 450 to nearly 900 tonnes. He said he could not recall filling the vessel so quickly in previous seasons.
Olafur Gunnar Gudnason, skipper of “Beitir NK”, also pointed to unusually high catch rates, stating that the vessel completed its fishing trip in just over two days with six short hauls lasting between three and six hours. He noted that catches ranged from 300 to 650 tonnes per haul and described the operation as highly efficient.
Stock Distribution and Migration Driving Fishery Intensity
Skippers across the fleet have consistently reported that blue whiting is widely distributed across the Faroese zone, with vessels spread over a large fishing area rather than concentrated in a single location.
There are also indications that fish continue to migrate into Faroese waters from the south, sustaining catch rates and extending the fishery.
Several skippers have pointed to the volume of fish and catch efficiency as indicators of strong stock presence. However, such observations remain operational rather than scientific, and no formal stock assessment data has been presented alongside these claims.
Multinational Fleet Maintains Pressure on Remaining Quota
The fishery is being prosecuted by a multinational fleet, including Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian and Russian vessels, all targeting blue whiting within Faroese jurisdiction.
With large volumes already landed and vessels returning quickly to fishing grounds after discharge, effort remains high. The combination of strong catch rates and short fishing trips suggests that a significant portion of the remaining quota could be taken in a relatively short period.
The current pattern indicates a highly productive but intensive fishery, centred firmly within Faroese waters and driven by consistent reports of large, accessible concentrations of blue whiting.
