FEWER NORWEGIAN BOATS FISHING FOR HERRING LAST WEEK

Fewer Norwegian boats fishing for herring last week. Fewer Norwegian boats have been active on herring last week, and a total of 16 boats have contributed 4,300 tonnes of catches, reports Kenneth Garvik of pelagic group Norges Sildesalgslag.
Fishing started this week south of N 60⁰ on herring in the order of 125-150 grams. Later, the boats moved further north to the area south of the Viking Bank where the herring were significantly larger, with average weights of around 200 grams. It seems that this herring has gathered in the last few days and at the weekend a trawl catch of over 300 t was taken. This herring is attractive for filleting for the European market.
In the coming week, there will be a handful of boats hunting North Sea herring. The hope is that the positive fishing at the weekend will continue now around the full moon.
The good mackerel fishing in the north also continued this week, and Norway had the best week of the summer with a total of 3,200 tonnes. Of this quantity, fully 3,100 t are fished in the north.
The boats here have, with the exception of the weekend, had excellent conditions with crystal clear calm and glorious summer weather. The mackerel is fished in the outer part of Vestfjorden and in the area west of Hadseløy in Vesterålen.
As usual, the mackerel is large in the north with average weights in the range of 500 – 520 grams. Buyers report good quality and good interest from the market.
In the south, fishing has slowed down, where only 100 t have been taken from Bømlo in the north to various municipalities in Rogaland. We hope that the mackerel gather better here throughout the summer.