Norwegian Pelagic Fishing Report – Week 09 of 2026:
Images taken on Monday 2 March showed a queue of vessels awaiting discharge in Killybegs under clear skies and temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. Photo: Sondre Sandvåg/MS Malene S.
Blue Whiting Landings Pass Half Norwegian Quota
Blue whiting accounted for the bulk of reported landings over the past week, with 36,565 tonnes registered through Norges Sildesalgslag.
Eight vessels reported 9,315 tonnes for human consumption, while 17 vessels declared 27,250 tonnes destined for fishmeal and oil production. The majority of catches were taken in international waters, although six notifications came from the EU zone.
More than half of Norway’s annual allocation has now been taken. A total of 133,228 tonnes has been reported against the 2026 Norwegian quota of 238,736 tonnes, leaving 105,508 tonnes available to the Norwegian fleet for the remainder of the year.
The pace of fishing raises the obvious question of how effort will be distributed through the rest of the season, particularly if catch rates remain stable in international waters.
NVG Herring Winter Fishery Nears Seasonal Pause
Activity in the NVG herring fishery has slowed considerably and appears to be approaching its winter conclusion.
Two Norwegian and three British vessels reported catches this week. The Shetland vessel Adenia submitted two separate landings during the period. In total, 6,118 tonnes of NVG herring were declared, with average fish weights ranging between 260 grammes and 295 grammes.
So far, 154,486 tonnes have been taken from the total Norwegian quota of 342,666 tonnes.
Most Norwegian vessels are now expected to hold back and wait for the autumn migration north of Kvænangen. As a result, limited activity is anticipated in this fishery in the coming weeks, unless market or biological factors alter the current pattern.
Modest Horse Mackerel Activity
Horse mackerel volumes were minimal by comparison.
Three vessels reported a combined 27 tonnes during the week. Two catches originated from Rogaland waters, while one was taken near Florø.
The figures underline how marginal this fishery currently is in relation to pelagic mainstays such as blue whiting and NVG herring.
Baltic Sprat Heads for Egersund
The Swedish vessel Astrid Marie reported 1,360 tonnes of Baltic sprat on Sunday evening and is making the full journey from the Baltic Sea to Egersund for landing.
The movement highlights continued cross-border pelagic activity in northern European waters, even as certain seasonal fisheries begin to taper off.
