Photo: Sondre Sandvåg. Lossing i Måløy / Norges Sildesalgslag

Norway Pelagic Fishing Update Week 37

NORWAY
Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Challenging Conditions Halt Mackerel Fishery in Norwegian Sea, Forcing Fleet to Seek New Grounds

BERGEN — Bad weather and predatory bluefin tuna have slowed down the Norwegian mackerel fleet, which has now caught 76% of its quota, shifting the industry's focus to new fishing areas.

Mackerel

The strong momentum of the mackerel fishery in the Norwegian Sea came to a halt last week, as challenging conditions and difficult weather put a stop to the fleet's efforts. The total mackerel catch for the week was 17,581 tonnes, a significant drop from the 8,120 tonnes reported on Monday alone.

According to a report by the Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organization, the fleet faced a combination of poor weather and a surge in bluefin tuna that were actively hunting the mackerel, making catches difficult. The decline in activity leaves just 37,020 tonnes of the 151,415-tonne Norwegian mackerel quota remaining for the year, with 114,395 tonnes already caught.

Despite the setbacks, the fleet spread out as the weather improved over the weekend. On Sunday, vessels reported new catches from a fishing ground located 80 nautical miles west of Bergen, where individual hauls ranged from 30 to 185 tonnes. The fish from this new area were well-sized, weighing between 380 and 480 grams.

North Sea Herring

Beyond the primary mackerel fishery, Norwegian vessels reported catches of other species. A total of 618 tonnes of North Sea herring were landed by six Norwegian boats

Sprat

The vessel "Sunny Lady" contributed to a 6,120-tonne haul of sprat from the Danish zone.

Blue whiting

Additionally, three boats landed 625 tonnes of blue whiting from a location known as "the Edge" fishing ground (areas along the edge of the Norwegian continental shelf).

With the season's primary fishing grounds becoming more challenging, the question now is whether the North Sea will be the next key area for the fleet to fill the remaining 24% of its mackerel quota.

Author/source: Sigurd Vedøy/Norges Sildesalgslag

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