Pelagic
Atlantic herring
Clupea harengus · Norwegian herring
Norwegian spring-spawning herring in industrial volume. Fillets, flaps and marinade raw material for European and Eastern European processing.
Norwegian spring-spawning herring is one of the largest fish stocks in the North Atlantic and is fished under an international quota arrangement. Volume is high and price is low relative to whitefish, which makes freight efficiency and packing format the difference between a workable landed cost and a bad one.
Fat content and roe stage shift through the season and decide what the raw material can be used for. Marinating, smoking and matjes production each want a different window, so the specification has to name the intended use, not just the size.
Season through the year
- January: Peak season
- February: Available
- March: Out of season
- April: Out of season
- May: Out of season
- June: Out of season
- July: Out of season
- August: Out of season
- September: Available
- October: Peak season
- November: Peak season
- December: Peak season
- Peak season
- Available
- Limited volume
- Out of season
Main fishery September to February.
Commercial specification
- Scientific name
- Clupea harengus
- Production
- Wild-caught
- Condition
- Frozen · Salted · Smoked
- Size and weight class
- 200–300, 300–400, 400+ g whole round. Fillets by count per kilo.
- Packing
- 20–25 kg cartons, 1 tonne blocks, or brined drums for salted product.
- Minimum volume
- One 40 ft reefer container.
- Product forms
- WR — Whole roundUngutted, as landed
- FLT — FilletSkin-on or skinless; trim level and pin bone status stated separately
- FLAP — Flaps / butterflyPelagic cut for Asian markets
- Shelf life
- Frozen 12 months at −18 °C. Salted 9–12 months chilled.
- Temperature
- −18 °C or colder frozen. 0 to +4 °C for salted product.
- Certifications available
- MSC Chain of Custody
- BRCGS Food Safety
- IFS Food
- EU establishment approval number
- Health certificate
- Catch certificate (IUU)
- Incoterms 2020 normally quoted
- FCA · FOB · CFR · CIF
Send the specification and we return standardised offers from verified suppliers — same weight basis, same Incoterm, freight and fees separated out.