Key signals
- The biomass index for offshore northern shrimp peaked in 1996 but has declined steadily since 2018, and in 2026 it was at its lowest levels since 1988.
- Catch per unit effort has been estimated lower the past two years compared to earlier years, and is close to lowest observed values.
- The abundance index of cod has remained at high levels since 2014.
General information
Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) is the most common shrimp species in Icelandic waters. It is found all around the country but is most common in cold waters at depths of 10-700 m. While it has been found at greater depths, there are few records of it below 1000 m. Northern shrimp are common prey for many fish species, and the stocks are vulnerable to predation. In areas with high levels of predation, shrimp stocks remain small, but they can recover relatively quickly if predation pressure decreases.
A distinction is made between shrimp found in shallow coastal waters and those in offshore waters. Separate advice is provided for the offshore shrimp stock found off the north and north-east coasts of Iceland.
The fishery
Offshore shrimp fishing started in the early 1970’s and takes place in the waters north of Iceland. Catch levels were low during the first decade but increased steadily from 1982 until it peaked in 1997 at 62 thous. tonnes. After 1997, the catch decreased sharply and reached a minimum of 600 tonnes in 2006 (Figure 1). The average annual catch in 2014-2020 was 3300 tonnes and has decreased since 2012 when 7350 tonnes were landed. The landed catch in 2024 and 2025 was slightly above 1350 tonnes, which is the lowest catch since 2006-2008.
In 1988, 152 commercial vessels landed offshore shrimp. The number of commercial shrimp vessels steadily decreased from 1993 to 2006, when only one vessel landed offshore shrimp (Figure 1). The number of vessels increased again until 2013, when 34 vessels landed offshore shrimp, but since 2013 the number of vessels has decreased and in 2023 only 5 vessels landed offshore shrimp.
Catch per unit effort (CPUE) increased from 1988 to a peak in 1996 but decreased sharply between 1996 and 1999 (Figure 2). CPUE fluctuated between 2001 and 2012 and decreased in the following years. In 2020-2023 CPUE increased but decreased again in 2024 and 2025. CPUE is highest in March but decreases in the summer and is lowest in November and December. CPUE increases with increasing trawl size but is stable at sizes 2500-5000 meshes.
CPUE increases with increasing biomass index (Figure 3). The consistency between CPUE and total biomass index was relatively good between 1989 and 2002 (Figure 3). However, since 2003 the CPUE has indicated better state of the stock compared with the total biomass index. Both indices decreased between 2010 and 2015.
The main distribution of the fishery has varied over time (Figure 4). In 1988-2005, the main fishing ground was larger compared with 2006-2025. At that time, a high proportion of the catch was taken from Norðurkantur and around Kolbeinsey (north and northeast of the Vestfirðir peninsula). Since 2006, the main catches were caught in areas north of Skjálfandi and Öxarfjörður fjords and shrimp fishing has not taken place northeast and east of Iceland.
Survey data
The annual offshore Icelandic shrimp survey has been conducted since 1988. However, since 2018 the survey has been conducted bi-annually. Originally, the number of stations were about 190, but in 2006 the number of stations was reduced to 92 covering the same area as before with less density of stations. Since 2014 the survey includes 86 fixed stations at depths to 700 m. Due to bad weather in 2026, 6 stations were skipped. The survey indices are calculated based on all available stations within the area that has been sampled annually since 1988. All information on sampling procedure can be found in Jónsdóttir 2026.
The density of shrimp has decreased after 1996, when the biomass index was highest. Since 2004, density has been low east and northeast of Iceland and in 2024 no shrimp was found at several stations in this area (Figure 5). Shrimp density in Norðurkantur has never been as low as in 2026.
Indices
Four indices are used to assess the state of the offshore shrimp stock: total biomass, fishable biomass, female biomass, and juvenile biomass. Juveniles include all individuals equal to and below 13 mm carapace length, while the fishable biomass include all individuals equal to and above 15.5 mm carapace length. The fishable biomass index is used for calculation of the advice. Individuals between 13 and 15.5 mm carapace length are divided between the juvenile and fishable biomass indices. The female biomass includes all females and is defined as the spawning stock biomass.
The total biomass index and the fishable index increased until 1996, after which they declined until 2004 (Figure 6). The indices increased slightly in 2006-2009, but decreased between 2009 and 2011, and have remained relatively stable since then, with the exception of 2015, when they reached historically low levels. The indices have been decreasing since 2018 and in 2026 they were the lowest since 1988. The fishable index was above the reference level where the state of the stock is considered critical. The fishable index value of 20% of the mean of the mean of the three highest indices (Ilim) is used as a proxy for Blim. The female index has fluctuated during the study period with a general downward trend, with lowest values in 2026. The juvenile index increased from 1988 to 1994. Since then it has decreased, and has remained low since 2015.
Length distribution
Because of slower growth in the offshore area compared with inshore areas, it is difficult to estimate age and hence, cohorts, of offshore shrimp. The number of males has decreased and has been around or below average since 2004. Since 2015 the smallest individuals were missing in the survey (Figure 7).
Abundance of Atlantic cod
Abundance index of juvenile cod varied without a trend but was very high in 2015 (Figure 8). The abundance index of older cod was very low between 1988 and 1995 but increased in 1996 and since 2003 it has remained high. The cod abundance index has remained high since 2014, with highest values in 2016-2018.
Temperature
Sea surface temperature during the shrimp survey increased from 1998 to 2003 and has remained at higher levels since then (Figure 9). Bottom temperature increased steadily until 2014 when it peaked at 2°C but has fluctuated between 1.2 and 1.5°C in 2015-2024. In 2026, the bottom temperature rose, reaching the second highest level recorded since 1988.
Management
The Ministry of Industries is responsible for management of the Icelandic fisheries and implementation of legislation. The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) first recommended TAC for offshore shrimp in 1987 and the fishery has been managed with TAC since then, except for the quota years 2010/2011 to 2013/2014, when the offshore shrimp fishery was open to all boats without a national TAC. TAC and landed catch has roughly followed the advice given by MFRI (Figure 10).
The quota year from 1 September to 31 August took an effect on 1 September 1991.
References
Jónsdóttir, I.G. 2026. Handbók um stofnmælingu rækju árið 2026. Kver Hafrannsóknastofnunar, KV2026-004.