Iceland's fishing fleet recorded a double-digit percentage drop in catch in September 2021, with decreases across all major fisheries.
The fleet landed a total 107,011 metric tons (MT) of fish and seafood last month, some 10 percent less than in September 2020.
According to preliminary data gathered by the country’s Directorate of Fisheries, September’s demersal catch decreased by 11 percent year-on-year to 31,887 MT; with cod landings falling 5 percent to 19,626 MT; haddock 22 percent to 4,491 MT; and redfish decreased 28 percent to 3,389 MT. Iceland's saithe catch-volume increased 5 percent to 3,125 MT.
Iceland’s flatfish catch decreased by 2 percent to 1,774 MT, while its shellfish landings dropped 40 percent to 612 MT.
The country’s pelagic catch slumped 10 percent year-on-year to 72,738 MT; with the herring volume down 10 percent to 55,591 MT; mackerel falling 8 percent to 16,213 MT; and blue whiting 17 percent to 934 MT. No capelin was caught in September.
Despite the drop in September, Iceland's total catch between October 2020 and September 2021 catch was just around 1.04 million MT, a rise of 2 percent year-on-year. This increase included a 3 percent increase in the demersal species group at 476,551 MT, a pelagic increase on par with the preceding 12 months at 531,296 MT, a 12 percent increase in flatfish catches to 25,113 MT, and a 9 percent increase in shellfish landings to 6,687 MT.
Iceland's Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI), which gives advice on 35 species and stocks each fishing year (September to August), recently confirmed that the cod catch for the current fishing season will be 222,373 MT, down 13 percent from the previous year.
MFRI estimates the cod biomass for 2021 at 941,000 MT, some 22 percent less than last year.
Meanwhile for haddock, the catch advice given for this upcoming year will be limited to 50,429 MT, 11 percent less than for the last fishing year.
However, the institute has recommended the reintroduction of a capelin fishery, with a total allowable catch of around 500,000 MT.
According to data from Statistics Iceland, the country’s marine product exports totaled 604,129 MT in 2020, worth around EUR 1.7 billion (USD 2.3 billion). This trade accounted for 40 percent of the total value of all exported Icelandic goods.
Icelandic marine products were sold to 95 countries in 2020, with around 80 percent of the total going to European markets.
The single most-valuable seafood species caught in Iceland was cod, which accounted for 49 percent of the export value of marine products.
Photo courtesy of VicPhotoria/Shutterstock
