Last updated: 3 July, 2024 @ 18:15
We’ve all been there. Standing in the queue at the fishmongers looking at the beautiful array of small, fresh, silvery fish that would be just perfect for the evening’s dinner. But wait a minute – are these silver darlings Herring or Sprats?
Thankfully we can now ease those fishmonger counter woes with a new guide that’s been launched to help identify Sprats and Herring.
Guide for seafood lovers
The guide, by Ireland’s Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority is strictly speaking for commercial fishermen, but it’s also invaluable for us seafood lovers.
Identification help
The SFPA says: “These species may be misidentified due to their similar appearances.
“Mature Atlantic herring are larger than European Sprat, but when juvenile, Herring can be a similar size to mature sprat.”
The new SFPA guide details the ‘various identifying features that can be used to differentiate between the species, and this is achieved by using photographs of European sprat and Atlantic herring’.
“This includes the position of the dorsal fin relative to the pelvic fin, the keel, the shape of the fish, the size of the eye, and the projection of the lower jaw,” says the SFPA.
The SFPA guide to sprats and herring
The hugely valuable SFPA guide to identifying Sprats and Herring is available on the organisation’s website.
Sprat recipes
In our handy guide to Sprats we’ve include our favourite recipe – which is super easy, and super delicious.