Herring has played an important role in the history of Norway for centuries. Our first fisheries began over a 1000 years ago and we have been one of Europe’s biggest suppliers of herring ever since. While times have changed – customers now prefer frozen fillets to salted and smoked herring – the herring industry remains vital to our economy today. In fact, the importance of this fish within our economy, combined with its striking appearance, has earned herring the nickname ‘the silver of the sea’.

With centuries of experience in harvesting this silvery fish, we know that where you catch herring makes a real difference to its taste. We’d like to share some of this knowledge with you, so that you know what to look for and when to buy.

Herring is a pelagic fish, a categorisation that takes its name from the pelagic zone of the sea where the fish lives – neither close to the seabed, nor the shore. Pelagic fish come in a variety of sizes – from small species, such as herring and sardines, to large predator species, such as the southern bluefin tuna and oceanic sharks.

Pelagic fish are typically streamlined, which enables them to swim at speed through coastal and open water. Herring often travel in large shoals of millions of fish and swim in depths of up to 200m. Thanks to its ability to cover great distances, the herring family is large and contains several different species. Here we will focus on herring found in Norwegian waters – the Norwegian spring spawning herring and North Sea herring.

Norwegian spring spawning herring is the biggest and fattest herring there is. For this reason it makes a fantastic choice for the dinner plate and in commercial recipes. The peak fishing period is in the autumn when the fat content of the fish is at its highest – up to 30%. This enhances both the flavour and the nutritional content of the fish. In fact, the Norwegian spring spawning herring is almost unrivalled in its health-promoting nutrients. To find out more about the links between the fat levels in herring and omega-3, please see our dedicated nutrition page.