Fréttir & tilkynningar | Marine and Freshwater Research Institute

Workshop on BioProtect, 4 November.

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 16:35:00 +0000

The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) is holding a workshop on identifying areas for marine protection and on how the EU-funded BioProtect project can support that process.

🏆 Melanie Stock wins Best Student Poster Award!

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:17:00 +0000

Melanie Stock, a PhD student in marine biology at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI), recently won the award for best student poster at the 26th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals.

Marine plastic pollution in focus at Atlantic Plastics 2026 in Harpa

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:09:00 +0000

The international symposium Atlantic Plastics 2026 on marine plastic pollution was held at Harpa in Reykjavík on 20–22 October, under the theme Arctic to the Antarctic.

Two new studies shed light on the diet of capelin

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:54:00 +0000

Two new studies by scientists at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute provide new insight into the diet and feeding activity of capelin.

Ecological competition between fin whales, blue whales and their hybrids.

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:18:00 +0000

Hybridization among cetaceans has been documented across multiple species, but the question on the ecological position of hybrids has not been answered yet. Within the Balaenopteridae family, most documented cases involve blue and fin whales, raising concerns about impacts on species recovery, particularly that of the highly endangered blue whale.

Capelin survey estimates and advice below expectations

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:53:17 +0000

Updated catch advice from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) for the upcoming capelin fishing season is just over 105 thousand tonnes. The advice is based on the results of acoustic surveys on the capelin stock conducted last September, which proved to be significantly below expectations.

Catch Advice for Pelagic Fish Stocks in the Northeast Atlantic

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is today, September 30, issuing advice on fishing opportunities for Norwegian spring-spawning herring, Atlantic mackerel, and blue whiting for the year 2027.

Stock assessment and advice for northern shrimp in Arnarfjörður and Ísafjarðardjúp

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:10:00 +0000

In accordance with the MSY approach, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute advises that the shrimp catch in Arnarfjörður in the 2026/2027 fishing year should not exceed 248 tonnes, and that shrimp fishing should not be permitted in Ísafjarðardjúp.

Study on Knotted Wrack Recovery in Breiðafjordur

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:15:00 +0000

A recent study by scientists at MFRI examined the recovery of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) following harvesting in Breiðafjörður Bay, western Iceland. Knotted wrack has been harvested in the area for around 50 years, primarily using mechanical cutting barges.

Mapping Knowledge for Bottom Fishing and Sustainability

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:50:00 +0000

A new synthesis in the journal Fish and Fisheries brings together thirty obstacles that stand in the way of measuring and improving the sustainability of bottom fisheries, together with the same number of recommendations for addressing them. Haraldur A. Einarsson, fishing gear specialist at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, is one of 29 authors.

Researching eddies in the East Greenland Current

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:44:00 +0000

As the E(ddies)GC survey aboard RV Þórunn Þórðardóttir draws to a close, the international team of researchers is completing several weeks of intensive fieldwork off East Greenland.

Start of the autumn capelin survey

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:18:00 +0000

The 2026 capelin autumn survey will be conducted from 23 August to 24 September. The survey aims to estimate the abundance of both immature and mature capelin in the Iceland-East Greenland-Jan Mayen area (IEGJM). A similar survey has been conducted since 1978.

The origin of sprat in Iceland

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:50:00 +0000

Earlier this year, the article "Where are you from? Finding the origin of the recently observed sprat in Iceland using a panel of SNPs" was published.

Results from the mackerel survey

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Results are now available from a joint pelagic survey conducted by Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, and Denmark between June 29 and July 30, 2026.

Harbour seal population estimate about to start

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:58:00 +0000

The Icelandic harbour seal population is about to start. For the first time, drones will be used to count the seals in the haul-out sites.

Seabed Habitat Mapping Survey Recently Completed

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

A research survey investigating the seafloor and the organisms that inhabit it recently returned to port after 20 days at sea.

Advisory recommendations for the upcoming fishing year.

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Today, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute presents an assessment of the state of commercial fish stocks and advisory recommendations for the upcoming fishing year.

New research on hybrids between blue and fin whale

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:03:00 +0000

Scientists at MFRI recently published a review paper on the occurrence of hybrids between blue and fin whales in the world. Hybrids between blue and fin whales have been reported from commercial whaling since the late 1800s.

Ship Visit, Fish Exhibition, Shore Life Workshop and Educational Activities on Seamen’s Day

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:30:00 +0000

The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute invites the public to a diverse and educational program on Seamen’s Day, Sunday, 7 June, starting at 13:00 at the institute’s headquarters at Fornubúðir 5 in Hafnarfjörður.

Graduation from the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme

Wed, 27 May 2026 13:49:00 +0000

On Wednesday, May 20, twenty-three fellows graduated from the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme after completing a six-month training course offered by the Icelandic government as part of its international development cooperation efforts.