Reporting from the villages of East Iceland and on everything that concerns the region. Updated daily.
Up to sixty percent of the herring arriving at Loðnuvinnslan in Fáskrúðsfjörður is now Icelandic summer-spawning herring. Plant manager Magnús Ásgrímsson says processing is going well in the new building.
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Síldarvinnslan’s fish processing plant in Neskaupstaður has received 23,000 tonnes of herring so far this season. Síldarvinnslan’s website states that five thousand tonnes remain to be caught.
Guðröður Hákonarson, often known as Gurri, of Hildibrand in Neskaupstaður, received the East Iceland tourism encouragement award, Klettur, at the association’s autumn meeting last week. It is a recognition for having been a powerful driving force in the development of tourism in Neskaupstaður.
Blængur NK came in with 620 tonnes after a 26-day fishing trip. The catch was worth ISK 507 million, even though autumn storms disrupted the fishing.
The first exploratory drilling for hot water in Borgarfjörður eystri in about 50 years was carried out by HEF-veitur a short while ago, but, as had been expected beforehand, the preliminary results give little cause for optimism.
The freezer trawler Blængur NK arrived in Neskaupstaður yesterday after a 26-day fishing trip. The vessel’s catch was 620 tonnes gutted. On the company’s website, the value of the catch is stated as ISK 507 million.
The freezer trawler Blængur NK arrived in Neskaupstaður yesterday after a 26-day fishing trip, most of it in rough weather. The vessel nevertheless landed 620 tonnes, with a catch value estimated at about ISK 507 million.
The fishing trip took 26 days and the catch was mostly cod and haddock, but also golden redfish, saithe and other species
Kaldvík’s lenders have extended the waiver of loan covenants until 3 pm on Wednesday, 28 October. Talks on the company’s financing continue.
Stefán Skafti Steinólfsson. Dear readers. The assault on Hamarsdalur in the old Djúpavogshreppur, now Múlaþing, continues. The decision by the minister of energy and the environment and the Althing to move the proposed power plant plans in Hamarsdalur from the protection category into …
Lenders of the fish farming company Kaldvík have further extended the company’s temporary waiver from certain loan terms, although the deadline was due to expire today.
Lenders of sea-cage fish farming company Kaldvík have extended further the deadline of the company’s temporary waiver from its loan terms. The deadline was due to expire today but has been extended until Wednesday.
Over a million salmon died in sea pens in Iceland in September. A department head says the vast majority died in Reyðarfjörður, because of jellyfish plaguing them.
Lenders to the aquaculture company Kaldvík have extended the company’s temporary waiver from certain loan terms until the end of today.
The valuation of the fish farming company Kaldvík has been cut by almost a third following operating difficulties, a weakening cash position and rising financing costs. Analysts consider the company’s financial position heavy after major setbacks in recent months, but expect operations to begin recovering next year.
As previously reported, a new SPAR store is due to open in the Kjörbúðin premises in Neskaupstaður in the middle of next month. To make that go as smoothly as possible, the existing stock must be cleared, which is why all the store’s products are now 50% off for the next few days.
The first haul yielded about 450 tonnes, but less was caught in the following ones. The skipper says the share of Icelandic summer-spawning herring in the catch is growing.
The school complex in Reyðarfjörður, a football hall, a sports hall and school buildings will be heated by burning wood pellets. Construction of Tandraorka’s new heating plant is well advanced.
The Vestmannaeyjar trawlers Vestmannaey VE and Bergey VE both landed in Neskaupstaður yesterday after short fishing trips. Both vessels had just under 50 tonnes after spending a little over two days fishing.
Beitir NK brought 800 tonnes of herring to Neskaupstaður last night. Processing of the catch is expected to finish this evening.
Sighvatur GK landed about 75 tonnes in Djúpivogur after a fishing trip in rough weather. The catch came in four sets and was mostly cod.
The company Aurora Abalone (Sæbýli hf.) has completed an ISK 1.5 billion share capital increase to build up annual production of 100 tonnes.
Síldarvinnslan has been processing herring almost continuously since 9 September. More than 9,000 tonnes remain to be caught and processed this season.
Pétur Kristjánsson. For centuries, the residents of the fjord have lived with the many kinds of hazards that close coexistence with nature brings. The hazards are not confined to this fjord, however, and exist worldwide. It has been said that there is enough for everyone in the wor…
Síldarvinnslan’s fish processing plant has received 21,200 tonnes of herring this season. About 70 percent is Norwegian spring-spawning herring and about 30 percent is Icelandic summer-spawning herring. Nine thousand tonnes remain uncaught.
The freezer-free fresh-fish trawlers Birtingur, Vestmannaey and Bergey all landed in Neskaupstaður on Sunday, 18 October. All of them shortened their trips because of unfavourable weather.
Birtingur, Vestmannaey and Bergey landed in Neskaupstaður on Sunday after shortening their fishing trips because of unfavourable weather.
Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, has appointed a regional council for coastal area planning in the East Fjords. The term of appointment runs until after the next parliamentary elections.
Musician Bubbi Morthens wants the state to take the land in Northeast Iceland from billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. Bubbi says the protection of the Icelandic salmon stock is a pretext and that the rivers have become toys.
It had been clear from the start that a clear majority of Seyðisfjörður residents were strongly opposed to allowing sea cage fish farming in Seyðisfjörður. The town is thriving in many areas, for example with a large and growing tourism industry, and sea cage farming would harm other industries in the town.
Although there are no visitor counters at East Iceland’s newest attraction, the Baugur Bjólfs viewing platform high above Seyðisfjörður, there is no doubt that the spot is a major draw. Many people were there almost daily throughout the summer. Final work is now under way on the car park and the footpath up to the viewing platform
At its core, the problem is that some of the council members at Múlaþing council meeting no. 72 are not clear on the issue of sea cage fish farming in Seyðisfjörður, or on what their duty is in the merged municipality and the local councils.
Kaldvík’s plans for sea-cage farming in Seyðisfjörður have been protested, and according to an opinion poll, a majority of residents there oppose fish farming in the fjord. If the plans went ahead, 10 to 15 jobs would likely be created locally.
Síldarvinnslan has sold the pelagic vessel Bjarni Ólafsson to Samherji. The ship, built in 1999, has had no work since it was put up for sale at the start of 2024. The companies report this on their websites.
Samherji has bought the pelagic fishing vessel Bjarni Ólafsson AK from Síldarvinnslan. The new owners took over the vessel yesterday and it went straight out fishing.
Fishing was good off Vopnafjörður (Vopnafjarðardýpi) the night before last. Ólafur Gunnar Guðnason, captain of Beitir NK, says up to half the catch is Icelandic herring. Beitir was on its last haul when Ólafur was interviewed and was heading to port ahead of the deepest October low in more than sixty years.
Samherji has bought the pelagic vessel Bjarni Ólafsson AK 70 from Síldarvinnslan.
Like nearly all municipalities in East Iceland, the board of HEF-veitur has also jumped on the bandwagon of keeping all general tariff increases in check next year. The company’s tariff increases will be no more than 2.5 percent next year.
The Minister of Industries says that halting or restricting the expansion of sea-pen farming in Seyðisfjörður has not been considered. The minister will meet representatives of nature conservation groups tomorrow.
There has been much debate about Kaldvík’s planned operations in Seyðisfjörður. That is natural, as the matter affects the fjord’s future, its business life, nature and community. Opinions are divided and it is important that differing views are heard.
“The mind is much faster than what grows in the pots,” says Einar Birgir Kristjánsson, managing director of Tandrabretti and its subsidiary Tandraorka, “and the hours in a day,” he adds with a laugh. Tandrabretti is headquartered in Eskifjörður and …
“When 13,000 people sign a petition like this, the government must of course listen.” So said the Minister for the Environment after a meeting with opponents of sea-pen farming in Seyðisfjörður. They say they hope that preventing the sea-pen farming from becoming a reality will be a priority for the government.
More than 1,200 people gathered both in Seyðisfjörður and at Austurvöllur in Reykjavík in the middle of yesterday to protest against the planned sea-pen farming by the company Kaldvík in Seyðisfjörður, and called on the government to listen to the voices of the people of the country.
Installation of a new heating plant is under way in Reyðarfjörður. It is intended to heat buildings used for school and sports activities. The company Tandraorka in Eskifjörður is carrying out the work. Installation is now in full swing, and Tandraorka, a subsidiary of Tandrabret …
Almost 30 years ago Hótel Valaskjálf in Egilsstaðir was first sold to private parties, and surely no local councillor suspected that almost 30 years later the community would face the prospect that the community hall might be closed for good. The current owners cannot be blamed, for why should they run a community hall for residents on the other side of the country when better options are available.
Many people gathered today to protest against Kaldvík’s sea-pen farming in Seyðisfjörður, both in Seyðisfjörður and in Reykjavík, with the protests taking place simultaneously. A broad group of nature conservation organisations organised the protests.
The head of the fish farming department at the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority says a former employee of Fiskeldi Austfjarða was not involved in the risk assessment for the company’s planned farm in Seyðisfjörður. He was only asked a specific question about a standard for farming equipment. Lawyer Katrín Oddsdóttir criticises that he was approached despite a rule that he should not be involved in the matter.
Protests against Kaldvík’s sea-pen farming in Seyðisfjörður are taking place simultaneously there and at Austurvöllur today. A lawyer says well-attended meetings are in prospect, as it is a hot issue in the east, and she believes there are serious flaws in the licensing.
This week Kastljós covered Kaldvík’s sea-pen farming plans in Seyðisfjörður. The fjord looked its finest, beautiful pictures of our town ran across the screen and viewers got to know a community where divided opinions appear to have created a difficult situation.
A little over a year has passed since the farm Vallanes, with all its assets and the company Móðir Jörð, was put up for sale. Although no sale has taken place, there has been considerable interest from many parties, according to the owners. These include investors who envisage leasing out the operation afterwards.
A jellyfish attack on Kaldvík’s salmon farm in Reyðarfjörður in September appears to have taken a greater toll on the fish in the pens than was first thought. It has also had a negative effect on the company’s finances. The jellyfish have left the area.
Síldarvinnslan has received a purchase offer for the pelagic fishing vessel Bjarni Ólafsson AK 70. The vessel is to be handed over to its new owners this month.
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea considers it safe to catch much more mackerel next year than this year, and also proposes a certain increase in catches of both blue whiting and Norwegian-Icelandic herring. The final quota is still uncertain, but the CEO of Síldarvinnslan says one cannot but welcome the advice.
Last week was what is known as constituency week for MPs, used for their travels and meetings in their constituencies. MPs in the Northeast constituency were offered the chance to apply for thirty meetings with representatives of local authorities, institutions and companies in the area.
The fact that East Iceland contributes more to the state treasury than it receives back clearly shows how important business and value creation in the region are. The state therefore needs to invest in the infrastructure that enables people and companies to live and work in the region. So says the chair of the Association of Municipalities in East Iceland.
There is still considerable work to be done before disabled people can get around easily to institutions and businesses in Seyðisfjörður.