Last updated: 16 December, 2024 @ 14:40
Affordable, easy to prepare, easy to cook and incredibly good for us – it’s time to celebrate the start of this year’s main North Sea herring season.
The North Sea herring fishery is the only one in the northeast Atlantic independently certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for sustainable fishing practices.
First certified in 2008, it is one of the longest running certified fisheries in the UK and Ireland.
Earlier this month, the first fish were landed from the fishery – marking the start of this year’s main North Sea herring season.
Herring: ‘One of the tastiest fish in the sea’
Robert Duthie, chairman of the Scottish Pelagic Processors’ Association (SPPA) – which represents Scotland’s pelagic (open sea) industry – says that herring is one of the tastiest fish in the sea and should be featuring more on our dinner tables, given that they are highly nutritious and packed full of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, and minerals and vitamins.
“Scottish herring is a superb tasting fish, perfect for the outdoor summer barbecue, or in the kitchen, simply grilled or fried in a pan,” he said.
“Herring offers great value for money as a shopping basket item.”
Eat two portions of fish a week
The SPPA says that UK health experts recommend that people should eat two portions of fish per week, one of which should be an oily fish such as herring.
It said the UK has a quota of 103,500 tonnes of North Sea herring to catch this year, the bulk of which will be caught by Scottish fishing vessels.
MSC-certified: ‘Buy herring with confidence’
Herring is an incredibly versatile fish, and can be grilled, baked, rolled in oats and fried, salted, soused, dried, smoked, pickled…
Ally West, co-skipper of the Fraserburgh-based fishing vessel Resolute said: “I adore kippers as they have so much flavour and are fabulous cooked on the barbecue, or served as a tasty breakfast dish.
“The great thing about our North Sea herring fishery is that it is MSC-certified for sustainability and has a low carbon footprint, which means consumers can buy herring with confidence.”
Celebrate the herring
The herring is celebrated in a number of European countries, including the Netherlands and Sweden – and it’s time we did the same.
Visit Rigby’s Encyclopaedia of the Herring, to learn a (lot) more about this overlooked fish.