Icelandic coastal fishing vessels report record catches this summer

The value of catches from coastal fishing vessels in Iceland this summer reached over five billion Icelandic krónur. The coastal fishing season ran from early May until mid-July. According to preliminary figures from the Icelandic Directorate of Fisheries, a total of 12,500 tons were caught during this period. This represents an increase compared to last summer, although it is similar to the totals of the three previous years.

Almost all of the fish landed by coastal fishing boats was cod, with the remainder primarily being haddock. The catch of demersal fish increased by seven percent, totaling around 250,000 tons. However, the overall catch for the first seven months of the year was 36 percent lower than in the same period last year. The total value of the catch is nearly 95 billion kronor, reflecting a 20 percent decline compared to the previous year.

The main reason for this decline is the absence of capelin catches this year, which has led to a reduction of more than half in pelagic fish catches compared to 2023.