Herring (Clupea harengus, Sild, Hareng)

 

 

 

Winter herring: 2-6 fish per kg. January to March
Fat herring: 3-6 fish per kg. July to December
Fjord herring: 3-20 fish per kg. August to April
North Sea herring: 3-7 fish per kg. January to March

The fish
The Atlanto-Scandic herring consists of three distinct species: Norwegian spring-spawning herring, Icelandic spring-spawning herring and Icelandic summer-spawning herring. In the North Sea and Skagerrak, there are separate stocks of herring that also represent an important source of commercial fishing.
The Norwegian spring-spawning herring lives and grows mostly in the north of Norway and the Barents Sea. These herring spend the winter in the Vestfjord basin and spawn along the entire coast of Norway, although the most important spawning grounds are in the northern parts of the southwest coast, Vestlandet.

Fishery
In the past, the Norwegian spring-spawning herring formed the basis for the Norwegian catch of winter herring, fat herring and whitebait. However, the changes in fishing methods as the result of developments in technological aids in the 1960s led to the near depletion of the stock through overfishing in the early 1970s, and a protection order was introduced.
More recently, concessions have been granted for Norwegian spring-spawning herring with strict quota regulations. This fishery is centred around the fjords in the regions of Møre and Nordland in central Norway.
The herring that live in the North Sea and Skagerrak are caught all year. At the beginning of 2000, marine researchers estimated that the spawning stock of Norwegian spring-spawning herring was approximately 9 million tonnes. This stock is under a great deal of pressure and has been diminishing in recent years.

Fishing methods
Purse seines, pelagic trawlers and nets.

Use
Herring is a delicious food fish and is eaten fresh, smoked or preserved as pickled herring, marinated herring, etc.

Nutritional value
Herring is an excellent source of vitamins A, D and B12 and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The amount of omega-3 depends on the fat content, which can vary considerably

 

 

<< back