email editor
A record week for the Norwegian lock netters fishing herring
A record week for the lock netters* on Kvænangen and some mackerel from the Møre coast reports Norges Sildesalgslag for week 46 of 2022.
The coastal fleet using seine fishing for NVG hering had a good week says the Sildelaget website. Camilla Klævold, Communication Advisor with Norges Sildesalgslag says:
“It has been boiling well in Kvænangen this week and never before has such a large quantity been locked up in one week. The catch has been steady throughout the week, but Wednesday came out as the best day with 1,700 tonnes in the record. A total of 7,900 tonnes from the fjords are locked up.”
Sales consultant Sigurd Vedøy welcomed the fishing saying, “It is gratifying that the fishery has got off to a good start for the lock setters this week and we praise both the fishermen, the buyers and the guide boats for the work that is done in connection with catching and guiding.”
Camilla Klævold continued, “Historically speaking, the week we are entering now has been the busiest for the seiners in Kvænangen and although we expect good activity next week as well, it will probably be good to set another record as many have also started to finish their quotas.”
In addition to a good fishery within the fjord lines for the lock setters, the other vessel groups have also caught good quantities of NVG herring this week. A total of 37,596 tonnes have been registered in the journal, of which a good 22,700 tonnes have gone to direct consumption and a good 6,800 have gone to flour and oil use. For the larger vessels, the catch has mainly taken place just outside the fjord lines.
Some of the Norwegian boats continue to target mackerel as Camilla Klævold reports:
“Last week we reported on a good mackerel fishery along the Møre coast which was interrupted by bad weather, fortunately the fishery was able to continue in better weather this week and there are well over 2,000 tonnes of large and fine mackerel recorded in the journal.”
The mackerel season this year has taken place over a longer period than usual and the fishery has varied in intensity and in different fishing grounds. “We have now fished over 95 per cent of the quota and it is very gratifying that we have had such a good fishery in the Norwegian zone,” says Sildelaget.
On North Sea herring, Camilla Klævold said that two vessels have fished in the British zone last week, a total of 480 tonnes being recorded on the books.
“It has been quiet on Kanten this week,” says Camilla Klævold. “A vessel has reported 30 tonnes of Strømsild and 280 tonnes of blue whiting. In addition, 59 tonnes of horse mackerel are registered in the journal.”
“Lock Netting* or “låssetterne” in Norwwgian is a form of purse-seine/ring -netting where the fish is transferred live from the net to a holding pen. This has to be done carefully, only drying up enough of the net to enable the fish to be transferred without stress. Thanks to Ian Kinsey for this information.
