After a slow start,  large numbers of sand eel are now being foiund in the North Sea. Therefore Danish fishmeal producer, 999, has decided to reopen production section 1 in Esbjerg, which has  been closed since last August due to reductions of the fleet and shortage of fish.

Chairman of the Board Erik Bonde Pedersen said he was pleased that the fishermen at sea are reporting large numbers of sand eel. “If the trend in the landings we have seen at the end of May will last another five to six weeks, I am confident, with the high prices of fishmeal in mind, that we will see a reasonable sand eel season this year," he says. “But that is, as we all know, vital to the fishermen.”

Pedersen said that the considerable supplies of sand eel have resulted in a decision to increase production capacity by 2,000 tonnes per day by reopening two production lines in section 1 in Esbjerg, each of which represents a daily capacity of 1,000 tonnes.

“I hope that we can keep the two extra production lines well and truly busy, at least until the end of June when they will be closed again, when the sand eel season ends,”  Pedersen said.