Search expedition departs from Eskifjörður for herring season preparations in Iceland
In the quest for the herring season, a search expedition set sail from Eskifjörður this morning. This mission is a preparatory step for a larger survey involving multiple vessels after the New Year. Potentially billion-dollar assets are at stake for the national economy.
Magnús Atli Magnússon, the fishing vessel Eskja’s captain, began the hunt for herring today, aided by representatives from the Marine Research Institute aboard. It is crucial to locate a substantial amount of herring to issue quotas and start the fishing season after the turn of the year. Last fishing year was marked by a herring shortage, and this year, no initial quota has been allocated. However, there remains a possibility that sufficient quantities will be discovered in subsequent surveys.
In preparation, the fishing equipment onboard was calibrated last night. The crew consists of nine members from Eskja along with two representatives from the Marine Research Institute. One of them, Birkir Bárðarson, a marine biologist, stated, “We are embarking on an expedition to explore areas north and northeast of the country. We will be using echo sounders to detect herring concentrations and assess their spawning migration progress. The results will inform our operations for the measurements scheduled for January.”
The optimism remains high following a September survey, where it was nearly confirmed that enough herring was present to allow for fishing. This current expedition involves just one ship for five to six days, aimed at preparing for more comprehensive surveys in January. When more vessels are deployed, they will cover extensive areas along the northern coast, the Westfjords, and the Eastfjords, with everyone hoping for a positive outcome.