Norden Stamps

The common themes of the Norden stamps in 2018-2022 are fish (2018), mammals (2020) and birds (2022).

Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is a fast-moving pelagic fish found in the North Atlantic. It is common in cold waters, moving in large schools close to the surface. Mackerel enter Icelandic waters in the summer looking for food and are usually 35 to 40 cm in length. Copepod constitutes an important part of their food while they also feed on plankton and fish. Mackerel have no swim bladder: they will sink if they are not constantly on the move. Their migratory patterns have changed a great deal in recent years, which may be due to oceans warming. Mackerel was first found in Icelandic waters in 1895 but Icelanders did no start fishing it in a systematic way until in 2007.

Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is a small pelagic fish, 13 to 18 cm in length when mature, moving in large schools. It is widely distributed throughout all northerly oceans. The largest capelin stocks can be found in the Barents Sea and in Icelandic waters. Large capelin feeds on plankton and other small crustaceans. Capelin spawns on the sandy seabed at the age of 2-6 years and usually dies after spawning. Capelin has been among the economically most important fish in Icelandic waters since the Sixties.