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The total value of the Icelandic catch in 2019 increased by 13.4% depsite a reduction in catches
The total catch of Icelandic vessels in 2019 was 1,047,568 tonnes which is 17% less than in 2018 mainly due to the reduction of catch is mainly due to less pelagic catch.
The first sale value of catch increased by 13.4% between years and amounted to over €905 million in 2019.
Of demersal species the catch was 480,000 tonnes which is the same as in 2018. First sale value of the demersal catch was just under €768m which is 24% higher than in 2018. Cod was the main species in 2019 and was also the most valuable species. The cod catch was 273,000 tonnes with a value of €437m.
Catch of pelagic species was 534,00o tonnes in 2019, which is 27.7% less catch than in 2018. Of pelagic species the catch of mackerel was highest, about 268 thousand tonnes. The first sale value of pelagic species consisted of mackerel, about €53m, blue whiting €45 and herring €37m.
Flatfish catch was 22,000 tonnes in 2019, 18.1% less than in the previous year. The first sale value of flatfish was €58m which is 8.3% lower than in 2018. Finally the catch of shellfish species was 10,000 tonnes compared to 12,500 tonnes in 2018. The value of shellfish catch was €11.8m, 28.5% less than in 2018.
| Catch volume and value of catch for major species 2018-2019 | |||||||
| Tonnes | Million € | ||||||
| 2018 | 2019 |
Diff. % 2018-19 |
2018 | 2019 |
Diff. % 2018-19 |
||
| 1,258,551 |
|
-16.8 | 798.6 | 905.1 | 13 | ||
| Demersal catch | 480,223 | 480,956 | 0.2 | 566.5 | 701.0 | 24 | |
| Cod | 275,017 | 272,989 | -0.7 | 358.6 | 436.6 | 22 | |
| Haddock | 48,459 | 57,747 | 19.2 | 66.0 | 90.0 | 36 | |
| Saithe | 66,250 | 64,681 | -2.4 | 49.6 | 65.1 | 31 | |
| Redfish | 57,989 | 53,380 | -7.9 | 63.7 | 75.6 | 19 | |
| Flatfish catch | 27,089 | 22,188 | -18.1 | 63.4 | 58.1 | -8 | |
| Greenland halibut | 15,210 | 12,044 | -20.8 | 46.6 | 40.6 | -13 | |
| Plaice | 8,323 | 6,828 | -18.0 | 11.2 | 11.8 | 5 | |
| Pelagic catch | 738,741 | 534,373 | -27.7 | 152.4 | 137.7 | -12 | |
| Herring | 40,460 | 30,041 | -25.8 | 8.5 | 7.3 | -14 | |
| Norwegian spring-spawning herring | 83,445 | 107,889 | 29.3 | 20.5 | 29.5 | 44 | |
| Capelin | 178,128 | 0 | – | 29.3 | 0 | – | |
| Capelin roe | 8,198 | 0 | – | 7.2 | 0 | – | |
| Blue whiting | 292,949 | 268,357 | -8.4 | 39.7 | 44.8 | 13 | |
| Atlantic mackerel | 135,559 | 128,084 | -5.5 | 46.8 | 53.0 | 13 | |
| Shellfish catch | 12,498 | 10,051 | -19.6 | 16.2 | 11.2 | -28 | |
| Lobster | 728 | 259 | -64.4 | 35.0 | 16.3 | -53 | |
| Shrimp | 4,473 | 2,920 | -34.7 | 9.3 | 6.0 | -29 | |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | |
