The total value of catch of Icelandic vessels is up 9.5 percent to ISK 108.6 billion (USD 860 million, EUR 665.7 million) from January to August, compared to ISK 99.2 billion (USD 786 million, EUR 608.5 million) during the first eight months of 2011.
According to Statistics Iceland, the increase was driven by a 15.9 percent increase in the value of pelagic species catches, which totaled ISK 32.8 billion (USD 253 million, 195.9 million) in the first eight months of the year. Herring accounted for ISK 2.6 billion (USD 21 million, EUR 16 million) down more than 25 percent from the previous eight-month period.
Demersal species accounted for ISK 63.8 billion (USD 505.6 million, EUR 391 million) with cod landings valued at ISK 32.5 billion (USD 257.8 million, EUR 199 million), haddock at ISK 8.5 billion (USD 67 million, EUR 52 million) and redfish at ISK 9.1 billion (USD 72 million, EUR 56 million).
Iceland’s shellfish catch accounted for ISK 3.2 billion (USD 25.3 million, EUR 19.6 million) from January to August, up 51 percent from the same time period in 2011, which shrimp making up ISK 2.4 billion (USD 19 million, EUR 14.7 million) of the catch, up 70 percent from the same time period last year.
