Herring: Atlantic

Sardines, Sardinellas, Brisling, Sprats, Pilchards, Herrings

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) have a long history as food fish and bait fish in both Europe and North America. These small pelagic fish are found on both sides of the North Atlantic. Off the eastern seaboard of North America, they range from Labrador south to Cape Hatteras. Herring in the Gulf of Maine migrate from summer feeding grounds along the Maine coast to southern New England and the mid-Atlantic in the winter. They are a planktivorous species, and are usually found in dense schools, which are targeted by fishermen. In the marketplace, herring may be confused with other small pelagic schooling fish, as the name “sardines” is often used to describe Atlantic herring along with other species.
At all life stages, Atlantic herring are important food for many other species, including pelagic fishes, groundfishes, seabirds and sea mammals. A partial list of herring predators includes longfin squid, spiny dogfish, porbeagle shark, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic cod, winter flounder, silver hake, white hake, mackerel, tunas, sculpins, skates, seabirds, seals, and whales.

Atlantic herring are a fast-growing species. They can live to a relatively old age but they mature quickly. Herring tend to form spawning aggregations and practise spawning site fidelity making them somewhat more vulnerable to fishing but are ranked as a “low” conservation concern.

While a peer-reviewed stock assessment has not been completed for Atlantic herring for several years, managers have been closely monitoring catches, and believe that stocks are continuing to increase. Fishing pressure is low and overfishing is not occurring. While many juveniles are caught, population abundance trends are increasing, and the population is well above the maximum sustainable biomass removal. As a result, the Atlantic Herring stock is ranked healthy and a “low” conservation concern.

Bycatch rates in the Atlantic herring mid-water trawl fishery are quite low but there are occasional interactions with marine mammals and seabirds. Although, none of the bycatch species associated with the herring fishery are considered endangered or protected and therefore, bycatch in this fishery is ranked as a “moderate” conservation concern.

The Atlantic herring fishery predominantly uses mid-water trawl and purse seine gear, but there is some evidence that fisheries are trawling closer to the bottom and affecting the bottom habitat. There is also concern about removing large numbers of herring, which are documented to be a very important food source for many species, and a major part of the North Atlantic ecosystem.

Management has been attentive and regulations appear to have been enforced. The stock has been effectively recovered from its low in the 1980s and has maintained its productivity. However, there is concern that not enough precautions are being taken to counter the current downward trend in the fisheries, and bycatch levels are currently unknown.

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Contaminant levels do not warrant a consumption advisory.