GREAT WEEK FOR SANDEEL FISHERY

Great Week For Sandeel Fishery – A total of 22,800 MT of sandeel was registered as caught last week, divided on 23 catches, reports Norges Sildesalgslag (a Norwegian Fishermen’s Sales Organisation for Pelagic Fish).
The report states: “Four of the vessels also had two trips in the North Sea this week. At the beginning of the week most of the activity took place around the Inner Shoal, but the vessels split between this area and the “Vestbanken” further north-east throughout the week. In addition, a few vessels tried their luck at Klondyke this weekend. “Sille Marie” reported their third catch of the week from this area.
“All catches, part from one to Denmark, have been sold to Norwegian buyers – from Egersund in the south to Ålesund in the north. The fat percentage is still relatively low and analysis from the past week show a percentage of 3. This is to be expected this early in the season, but the fat content is also expected to increase rapidly.
“Since the opening of the fishery on April 15th a total of 29.700 MT of sandeel has been caught. We need to go back to 2002 to find a better sandeel fishery in April, when a total of 64.800 was caught (throughout the month).
“Due to the great fishery a couple of vessels have finished their preliminary quotas with the TAC being 70.000 MT. The institute of marine research started their annual sandeel research cruise this week and the results are expected mid-May.
“The fishery has also been good in EU-waters (where Norway don’t have quotas) since the opening on April 1st for the Danish and Swedish vessels. The vessels started out in Danish waters, but this past week they’ve been fishing in British waters.
“We’re expected a decent fishery also this coming week, as most of the vessels with rights are on the grounds.
“The blue whiting fishery is coming to an end and only 2.200 MT was caught this week. Two vessels reported from EU-/Faroe waters.
“A total of 328.000 MT of this year’s quota on 360.283 MT has been caught and we’re expecting the rest of the volume to be caught in Norwegian waters.
“This year’s fishery west of Ireland and Scotland has been greatly affected by the weather. However, weather and coronavirus aside, Norwegian fishermen have never received greater value from the blue whiting fishery. There’s still some volume left to catch, but we’ve (for the first time) passed one billion NOK in turnover.
“A few vessels have caught a total of 315 MT of Norway Pout from Norwegian waters.
“With the weather reminiscing of summer, the mackerel usually becomes visible along the coast of Vestland and Rogaland and a couple of vessels have caught mackerel with seine. The catches ranges from 500 kg to 6 MT.
“In addition, there’s been registered a few smaller catches from the South of Norway.
“Buyers of fresh mackerel report of some uncertainty in the market due to the current coronavrius situation.”