Undecked vessels
Undecked vessels
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Von EA; a small undecked boat from Akureyri Photo: Bjarni Eiríksson
Catch composition of the fishing fleet in 2007 by size categories and fishing gear Source: Statistics Iceland, weight reports |
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Composition of the fishing fleet in 2007 by size categories and region Source: Statistics Iceland |
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At the end of the year 2007 there were 744 undecked boats with a licence to fish in Icelandic waters. This is a decline from 1,325 boats in 1990. However, prior to that time, the number of undecked boats had been increasing rapidly, since they were largely exempt from the ITQ system.
Undecked boats have always been numerous in Icelandic waters, but statistics in the past have not been very reliable, as rules about boat registration have changed through time. Currently all boats more than 6 m have to be registered. Furthermore, this number only includes boats with fishing licences, but many Icelanders own their own small boats that are used for fishing for the family on good days and these do not need licences.
Most of the undecked boats are locally built, previously from wood but nowadays from synthetic fibers. They are a natural evolution from the older rowing bots and in fact many of the first motor boats were modified rowing boats. Most of the undecked boats are from 3 to 7 GT in size and a large majority is more than 20 years old. This fleet is mostly made up of part time fishermen, who primarily fish during the summer months.
These boats are solely engaged in groundfish and lumpsucker fisheries in sheltered coastal areas. The primary fishing gear is handlines, mostly modern computerized jigging reels. A considerable number also uses longlines. The boats almost exclusively fish for cod and other codfishes, such as haddock and saithe. Many of them are also used in the lumpsucker fisheries with large mesh gillnets.
These undecked boats are distributed all around Iceland, but proportionally the largest part is in the Westfjord region. This region is characterized by many sheltered fjords close to very good fishing grounds, perfect for the small boat fleet. The number of undecked boats is also high in Western, North-eastern and Eastern Iceland where there are many sheltered fjords and bays. The Southern, and to a lesser degree, South-western regions are more open to the ocean and larger more seaworthy boats are required to fish in these grounds. Undecked boats are, therefore, few there.
Hreiðar Þór Valtýsson / Hörður Sævaldsson, University of Akureyri
