Excellent year for research at sea – despite COVID-19

Photo. Svanhildur Egilsdóttir.

Although external conditions were challenging this year due to the COVID 19 epidemic, the Marine & Freshwater Research Institute ‘s research vessels haven‘t missed out on a single tour. Its crew and researchers had to undergo rigorous COVID testing before all longer tours, and strict measures for infection controls have been in place.

The vessel Bjarni Sæmundsson reached our docks in Hafnarfjörður from its last tour of the year, a short voyage picking up sound recording equipment that had been placed to investigate and listen after activities of the European lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in the Faxaflói Bay.

Days of operation for the research vessels were more numerous this year than last, 362 compared with 326 in 2019. Bjarni Sæmundsson was out for 144 days, while Árni Friðriksson was out for 218 days.

Árni Friðriksson came to dock on November 2 from its autumn demersal survey. That was its last tour of the year. The vessel is now docked in Hafnarfjörður harbour, where regular maintenance work is taking place, e.g. pre-emptive maintenance on its generators.