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Pelagic landings, especially North Sea herring started to increase in week 31 of 2023 as the Norwegian fleet returned from their summer break. Photo: Ole Toft/Norges Sildesalgslag
The industrial fleet has been active throughout July, including coastal mackerel fishing reports Norges Sildesalgslag for week 31 of 2023
Sales manager Roar Bjånesøy, Head of Communications with Norges Sildesalgslag reports:
Now, more vessels are starting to move after the summer break, and especially North Sea herring fishing picked up last week.
North Sea Herring:
After a few weeks where catch rates ranged from 100 to 2,000 tonnes, nearly 13,000 tonnes were reported in week 31. Around 3,200 tonnes came from three foreign vessels from the British sector, while the rest came from the Norwegian fleet from west of Bergen to the route 4176 west of Hanstholm in the Norwegian zone. The average size has ranged from 180 to 230 grams, and around 3,800 tonnes have been processed into meal/oil. Slightly worse weather has been forecasted for early this week, with about 42,000 tonnes of the quota remaining.
Two vessels also caught 65 tonnes of North Sea herring in the Norwegian Sea.
Mackerel:
Around 4,900 tonnes were recorded in the catch log for week 31, most of which came from three foreign vessels from international waters and the Faroe Zone. Coastal fishing for mackerel in the north decreased at the end of July, and the catches from the smaller coastal fleet in week 31 have been from outside Fosnavåg in the south to Skudeneshavn. No Norwegian vessels from the deep-sea fleet have started mackerel fishing so far.
Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring (Havbrisling):
Birkeland was the first Norwegian boat to fish for Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring in the southern North Sea and reported 550 tonnes on August 6 from route 4124. This year’s quota of 10,000 tonnes is distributed among 18 vessels with departure permits. The quota is set at 550 tonnes per vessel. In addition to Birkeland, 1,200 tonnes of Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring were brought to Norway from the Danish vessel Ceton. One vessel is currently fishing in the southern North Sea, and it is expected that more vessels on the departure list will head out soon.
Other Fishing
The industrial fleet fishing on the edge has also reported 1,100 tonnes of blue whiting, 1,900 tonnes of Norway pout, in addition to some horse mackerel and sandeel from fishing on the edge.
