The commercial fishing sector in Iceland generated total first-sales approaching ISK 136.1 billion (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 1 billion) in the 12 months through June 2019, representing an increase of 10.5 percent year-on-year, according to preliminary figures gathered by the Direcrorate of Fisheries.
This double-digit rise is thanks to higher earnings by the demersal and flatfish sectors. Together, these two categories overcame a 19.8 percent decline in the pelagic catch value and a 10.9 percent fall in the shellfish total.
Iceland’s demersal catch value was up 19.4 percent year-on-year to ISK 103.5 billion (USD 835 million, EUR 763.9 million), with the cod catch rising 15.8 percent to ISK 64.5 billion (USD 520.4 million, EUR 476.1 million). There was also a 54.3 percent increase in the catch values of haddock, a 32.5 percent increase in the catch value of saithe, and a 6.8 opercent increase in the catch value of redfish. The three species achieved first-sales of ISK 13.8 billion (USD 111.3 million, EUR 101.9 million), ISK 9.2 billion (USD 74.2 million, EUR 67.9 million) and ISK 11 billion (USD 88.7 million, EUR 81.2 million) respectively.
The total flatfish catch value increased by 14 percent to ISK 10.5 billion (USD 84.7 million, EUR 77.5 million).
Within the country’s overall pelagic catch value of ISK 19.9 billion (USD 160.6 million, EUR 146.9 million), mackerel earnings decreased by 11.2 percent to ISK 7.5 billion (USD 60.5 million, EUR 55.4 million). But its blue whiting achieved revenues of almost ISK 7.7 billion (USD 62.1 million, EUR 56.8 million), up 45.2 percent year-on-year, and the herring value climbed 3.4 percent to ISK 4.7 billion (USD 37.9 million, EUR 34.7 million). No capelin was sold.
At the same time, the shellfish revenues amounted to just under ISK 2.3 billion (USD 18.6 million, EUR 17 million).
During the same 12-month period, ISK 71.8 billion (USD 579.4 million, EUR 530 million) worth of Iceland’s total catch went directly for domestic processing (+4.4 percent), while ISK 21.1 billion (USD 170.3 million, EUR 155.7 million) worth was sold at auction for domestic processing (+24.6 percent).
Landings valued at ISK 6.6 billion (USD 53.3 million, EUR 48.7 million) were exported in containers (+32.8 percent), and the frozen-at-sea catch was up 12.2 percent year-on-year to almost ISK 34.9 billion (USD 281.8 million, EUR 257.6 million).
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