The fishing sector in Iceland generated first-sales in excess of ISK 133.4 billion (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 985.7 million) in the 12 months through April 2019, representing a rise of 9.2 percent year-on-year, according to preliminary figures gathered by Iceland's Direcrorate of Fisheries.
This increase is attributed to higher earnings by the demersal, flatfish, and shellfish categories, which together overcame a 17.8 percent decline in the pelagic catch value.
Iceland’s demersal catch value was up 15.7 percent year-on-year to almost ISK 100.4 billion (USD 827.3 million, EUR 741.9 million), with the cod catch climbing 13.1 percent to ISK 62.8 billion (USD 517.4 million, EUR 464.1 million). There was also a 55.3 percent increase in the catch value of haddock, which achieved a first-sale value of ISK 13.7 billion (USD 112.9 million, EUR 101.2 million); a 12.6 percent increase in saithe, achieving a value of ISK 8.3 billion (USD 68.4 million, EUR 61.3 million); and a 4.4 percent increase in redfish achieving a value of ISK 10.7 billion (USD 88.2 million, EUR 79.1 million).
Iceland’s flatfish catch value increased by 22.1 percent to ISK 10.6 billion (USD 87.3 million, EUR 78.3 million), while the shellfish revenues climbed by 0.8 percent to just under ISK 2.5 billion (USD 20.6 million, EUR 18.5 million).
Within the country’s pelagic catch value of ISK 19.9 billion (USD 164 million, EUR 147.1 million), mackerel earnings decreased by 11.8 percent to ISK 7.5 billion (USD 61.8 million, EUR 55.4 million). Blue whiting achieved revenues of almost ISK 7.8 billion (USD 64.3 million, EUR 57.6 million), up 45.2 percent year-on-year, while the herring value climbed 3.4 percent to ISK 4.7 billion (USD 38.7 million, EUR 34.7 million). No capelin was sold.
During the 12-month period, almost ISK 71 billion (USD 585 million, EUR 524.8 million) worth of Iceland’s total catch went directly for domestic processing, or 4.9 percent, while ISK 21.4 billion (USD 176.3 million, EUR 158.2 million) worth was sold at auction for domestic processing, or 24.6 percent.
Landings valued at almost ISK 16.3 billion (USD 134.3 million, EUR 120.5 million) were exported in containers, an increase of 247.2 percent, and the frozen-at-sea catch was up 25 percent year-on-year to ISK 24.3 billion (USD 200.2 million, EUR 179.4 million).
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