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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 or 'clean' in terms of bycatch and non-damaging to the seabed when applied to shoaling pelagic species. This generally makes the fish a good sustainable choice. The best choices for herring are fish from the following stocks or fisheries: Norwegian (Spring spawners), the fishery was certified as an environmentally responsible fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 2009; North Sea (Autumn spawners), there are a number of fisheries for herring in this area certified as environmentally responsible fisheries by the MSC ; Iceland; SPSG West of Scotland fishery, certified by the MSC in April 2012; CSHMAC pelagic pair trawl fishery in the Celtic Sea, certified by the MSC in March 2012; Hastings drift net fishery is also MSC certified; and the Bothnian Sea.
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.