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Atlantic herring

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
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General

Herring-like fish

There are two families in the order Clupeiformes; the herring family (Clupidae) and the anchovy family (Engraulidae) and are relatively small, silver-coloured fish.  They swim in large, pelagic schools and feed on plankton. They are occasionally found near the shore, however they usually swim further out in the open sea at depths up to 200 m. Most species are capable of producing a lot of eggs each spawning event, up to 200.000 per adult female. A large share of the global wild catch consists of haring-like fish. Not everything is used for direct human consumption, a large share is processed as fish meal or fish oil that form the essential ingredient for fish feed in aquaculture. Haring-like fish swim in large schools which makes them susceptible to large scale (industrial) fishing.

 

 

 

 

Atlantic herring

The North Sea has four important herring stocks. Outside of the spawning season, these four stocks gather to forage for food, but return to their individual spawning grounds to reproduce. This species swims in large groups. Herring mainly feed on plankton, can reach lengths of 45 cm and have a maximum lifespan of 25 years.

 

Atlantic herring

Clupea harengus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Pelagic trawls, Purse seines

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Atlantic herring

Clupea harengus
Origin

Skagerrak, Kattegat, North Sea and eastern Channel (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Pelagic trawls, Purse seines

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The herring stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
in this area and the fishing pressureFishing pressure:
Fishing pressure is a result of the fishing effort/amount of fishing on a stock, which determines the fishing mortality. Fishing mortality is the share of the fish stock that dies annually as a result of fishing.
on it are both at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level.

Fishing with pelagicPelagic trawls:
In pelagic trawling, a trawl is pulled through the water column. The net is not towed across the seabed.
trawls and pursePurse seines:
A ring net in which the net is circulated around a school of fish. Then the net is closed and taken in. This is also called 'purse seine'. 
seines are highly unlikely to have a major impact on the ecosystem and other species. Since herring is a shoal fish, most of the catch consists only of herring with little bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). 
of other species.

There is no long-term management plan for herring in this area, but current monitoring is sufficient to establish catch limitsCatch limits:
The maximum amount of fish of a species caught per country, per year. 
. The managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species is largely effective.

Atlantic herring

Clupea harengus
Origin

Sound, Belt, Baltic Sea and Irish Sea (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Pelagic trawls

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The herringstockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
s in these areas are currently not at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level. They are either overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. 
or in danger of being overfished.

Fishing with pelagicPelagic trawls:
In pelagic trawling, a trawl is pulled through the water column. The net is not towed across the seabed.
trawls and purse seines is highly unlikely to have a major impact on the ecosystem and other species. Since herring is a shoal fish, most of the catch consists only of herring with little bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). 
of other species.

While herring are well monitored in this area, managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
is not in line with scientific advice. Management of this species is partially effective.

Atlantic herring

Clupea harengus
Origin

Barents Sea; Norwegian Sea and Spitsbergen (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Pelagic trawls

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  • Jul
  • Aug
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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The herring stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
in this area is currently not at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level. The biomassBiomass:
Biomass is the mass (weight) of living organisms in an area or ecosystem at the time.
of the stock is decreasing due to low recruitment of young fish. The fishing pressureFishing pressure:
Fishing pressure is a result of the fishing effort/amount of fishing on a stock, which determines the fishing mortality. Fishing mortality is the share of the fish stock that dies annually as a result of fishing.
is too high and endangers this stock.

Fishing with pelagicPelagic trawls:
In pelagic trawling, a trawl is pulled through the water column. The net is not towed across the seabed.
trawls is unlikely to have a major impact on the ecosystem and other species. Since herring is a shoal fish, most of the catch consists only of herring and little bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). 
of other species.

There is no long-term management plan for herring in this area, but current monitoring is sufficient to establish catch limitsCatch limits:
The maximum amount of fish of a species caught per country, per year. 
. The managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species is largely effective.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.

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