Iceland’s fishing fleet landed 92,612 metric tons (MT) of seafood last month, a decrease of 6.7 percent or 6,624 MT year-on-year but the total volume for the past 12 months was up by almost a quarter, according to new figures published by Statistics Iceland.
The country’s total demersal catch in September increased by 7.9 percent to 36,324 MT, thanks to larger landings of cod, haddock and redfish, which amounted to 22,892 MT, 3,336 MT and 4,732 MT, respectively.
At the same time, its total flatfish catch fell by 23.1 percent or 553 MT to 1,837 MT.
While Iceland’s pelagic catch declined by 14.4 percent or 9,008 MT in September to 53,486 MT, largely due to the herring landings falling by 33.8 percent or 10,067 MT, the country’s improved pelagic landings over the past year have led to a much larger overall catch.
In the 12-month period from October 2014 to September 2015, the total catch has increased by 24.9 percent or 265,460 MT to more than 1.3 million MT, said Statistics Iceland.
