The Directorate of Fisheries has completed the allocation of mackerel in accordance with regulation on the 10th amendment to regulation on the total allowable catch and commercial fishing for the 2025/2026 fishing year and the 2026 calendar year, as well as the regulation on mackerel fishing by Icelandic vessels.

There have been considerable changes to the allocation of mackerel due to increased authorisations for Icelandic vessels to fish in Norwegian and Faroese jurisdictions.

Allocation by fishing area

Catch quotas have been allocated in three fishing areas in accordance with the vessels' catch shares:

Vessels may utilise authorisations in Norwegian and Faroese jurisdictions within Icelandic and international jurisdictions. However, it is not permitted to use authorisations from other areas for fishing in Norwegian or Faroese jurisdictions.

Fishing in Norwegian jurisdiction

Two points are particularly important regarding fishing in the Norwegian jurisdiction:

• On 10 September 2026, the Directorate of Fisheries will allow additional catch of 12,433 tonnes in the Norwegian jurisdiction.

• When the total catch of Icelandic vessels in the Norwegian jurisdiction reaches 6,405 tonnes, all vessels will be required to offer all catch caught in the Norwegian jurisdiction through Norges Sildesalgslag SA.

Transfer of catch authorisations

It is permitted to transfer these authorisations between vessels, with the restrictions that have applied to transfers between Category A and B vessels.

Vessels are also permitted to carry over up to 15% of uncaught catch authorisations to the next fishing year. However, uncaught authorisations in Norwegian and Faroese jurisdictions may only be fished in the following year in Icelandic and international jurisdictions.

Furthermore, it is permitted to fish up to 5% in excess of the allocated catch quota. However, this authorisation does not apply to catch authorisations in Norwegian and Faroese jurisdictions. Fishing in excess of the allocated catch quota can therefore only take place in Icelandic and international jurisdictions.

Mackerel pot for Category B vessels

The Directorate of Fisheries has opened for applications for allocation from the mackerel pot in accordance with the regulation.

The pot contains 500 tonnes of mackerel that may be fished in Icelandic and international jurisdictions.

Who can receive an allocation?

Only Category B vessels that:

• have been allocated 30 tonnes or less, or

• have already caught 75% or more of their allocation

can receive an additional allocation from the pot.

Terms of allocation

• The maximum allocation to each vessel in each allocation is 50 tonnes.

• The fee for the allocation is 26.17 krónur per kilogram.

• On the first working day of each week, the Directorate of Fisheries will process applications received the previous week.

• Authorisations purchased from the pot are non-transferable.

Apply

Send applications to the email address: fiskistofa@fiskistofa.is.