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THE Icelandic trawler fleet has just revealed that it is enjoying one of its best herring fishing periods for years, with record catches and fish of a very high quality.
HB Grandi, one of the country's largest pelagic fishers, said the herring had been "exceptionally heavy" in recent days.The is particularly welcome after the Icelandic government’s decision to halt mackerel fishing.
The company has at least three ships with a total of around 5,000 tons on board - and there should be a lot more to come in the next couple of weeks.
Company spokesman Arnthór Hjörleifsson, said boats have been fishing in an area where the proportion of mackerel in catches is lower.
He said: "We had practically no mackerel at all towards the end of the trip. The herring suddenly started moving quickly eastwards, leaving the mackerel behind. The herring are excellent right now. The fish are fat, with practically no feed in them and just right for processing.
HB Grandi's skippers have been saying that there has been very little feed in the herring for an unusually long time.
Trying to avoid catching too much mackerel can present skippers with a headache at times. The total proportion of mackerel cannot exceed 12 per cent until the middle of September. There are also reports that the huge mackerel shoals are preying on capelin with the result that stocks are at a low point. It is feared this could have a serious impact on Iceland's capelin fishery.
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
