Collection of data

All catches of Icelandic fishing vessels are weighted and recorded at the port of landing. The port authorities record the catch in a computer that is directly linked to a centrally located datebase at the Directorate of Fisheries. Thus 60 ports of landings in Iceland send electronic data daily to the Directorate. A total of approximately 50.000 landings are registered in the system every year.

The data is processed in the Directorate´s database and catches are subtracted from the vessel´s quotas. With up to date catch figures the Directorate can act quickly if vessels have overfished their quotas. Excess catches can result in a revocation of fishing licenses and fines. The Statistics Iceland then receives copies of the data for the production of statistics of the economy.

Information from the database is immediately made available on the internet. It is open to everyone, all hours every day. It includes information on individual vessels and summarized data for all Icelandic vessels. The table for individual vessels includes information on all landings, detailed catch report, list of transferred quotas and quota status.. Furthermore the user has the possibility to find out how new information can effect the quota status of a vessel.

It is of vital importance for the administration as well as for the industry to have prompt information on catches. Monitoring of the fisheries is made easy and more efficient. The administration is more transparent, efficient and trustworthy.

Computerized collection of data began in 1992. The data was first available on the internet in 1995 and the Directorate was among the first Icelandic government institution to provide real time data on the internet. The system is constantly being improved upon.

Directorate of Fisheries