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Common name - Herring or sild
Scientific name - Clupea harengus
Average rating
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Visit Fishonline for the full range of options available for this species.
Consumer Information
Herring belongs to the same family of fish as sprat (also referred to as sild) and pilchard. Young herring processed as sardine in Norway are called sild. Herring are small, streamlined, silvery fish with a single dorsal fin that move around together in huge schools very near the surface. In Old Norse language ‘herring’ actually means ‘army’! Very important in the Scottish diet where they have been caught off the coast for centuries and referred to as the Silver Darlings. You can pickle them as rollmops , smoke or cook them fresh, dipped in fine oatmeal and pan fried. They are high in omega-3 oils which makes them really nutritious and important as part of a balanced diet. There are various fisheries for herring certified as sustainable to the MSC standard – look for the Blue Tick logo on the packaging.
Summary
The largest single fishery is for Atlantic herring which is fished throughout much of the north Atlantic. Herring is a resilient species and it is caught using fishing methods that are relatively selective and non-damaging when applied to shoaling pelagics. This generally makes the fish a good sustainable choice. However, there is much variation between the stocks and some fisheries for the species are depleted and poorly managed. In European waters, herring is managed by a system of Total Allowable Catches and quotas. The best choices for the species are Iceland, the North Sea, the Norwegian spring stock and those from the Bothnian Sea.The North Sea stock has recovered from a depleted state but is currently in decline. The main reason for this is a prolonged period of poor recruitment which is yet to be explained. However, scientists consider fishing effort to be a minor factor and it is likely due to environmental conditions. Stocks in the southern part of the Clyde Sea off Scotland's west coast are depleted, and fish from this stock should be avoided, as should those from the western Baltic. Drift net fisheries in Thames Blackwater and the eastern English Channel are certified as environmentally sustainable fisheries by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). A number of pelagic trawl and purse seine fisheries (the two main methods used in the northeast Atlantic) are certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, which is generally the best choice for a given fishery.
Alternatives
(Based on method of production, fish type, and consumer rating: only fish rated 3 and below are included.)
Visit Fishonline, the website for the seafood industry, for more detailed information about this species.