In recent weeks, Irish and Scottish vessels have been fishing blue whiting in the North Atlantic west of Ireland alongside a cosmopolitan fleet of midwater trawlers.

The first Norwegian boats started to arrive on the grounds in February, when the number of boats pursuing the seasonal fishery gradually increased, weather conditions permitting.
Although the blue whiting fishery began in the region of the Porcupine Bank, fishing effort is now moving steadily northwards as the main marks of fish follow the deepwater edge towards St Kilda.

Fishing has frequently been curtailed by severe weather, further compounding the challenges that skippers and crews already face in relation to fishing blue whiting in deep water, where damage to midwater trawls, including burst bags, is all part of the job.

As the closest harbour to the grounds throughout the blue whiting season – which generally runs for two months from mid-February – Killybegs in Co Donegal is well used by local and visiting vessels alike.

Catches of blue whiting are split between processing, packaging and freezing for global human consumption markets, and fishmeal production.

This selection of photographs, taken by Ryan Cordiner on the fishing grounds west of Ireland and in Killybegs, gives an insight into the blues fishery.

  • The Peterhead midwater trawler Quantus making in to Killybegs…
  • … after towing in the North Atlantic west of Ireland.
  • The local boats Western Chieftain and Neptune berthed on the outside of the Danish midwater trawler Gitte on the New Pier at Killybegs.
  • The Fraserburgh midwater trawler Chris Andra searching for marks.
  • Gardar gets underway from the grounds to return to Norway to land.
  • The Killybegs vessel Veronica (ex Ocean Quest FR 77) running off from Killybegs to fish.
  • The Castletownbere pair-trawlers Sarah David and Ronan Ross close up at the end of a tow to pass over the ends.
  • The Russian reefership Nova Zeelandia loading frozen fish at Killybegs for export.
  • The Castletownbere pair-trawlers Sarah David and Ronan Ross close up at the end of a tow to pass over the ends.
  • The Norwegian boat Cristina E heading home to Norway.
  • Paula returning to Killybegs to land blue whiting.
  • The Peterhead pelagic vessel Pathway preparing to pump a haul of blue whiting aboard.
  • Beinur tracking a mark of blues ahead of shooting.
  • The Norwegian midwater vessel H Ostervold towing in a decaying Atlantic swell.
  • Discharging blue whiting for fishmeal production at Killybegs.
  • The Norwegian boat Østerbris towing.
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