New Dutch herring comes on the market late this year

The start of the herring season is postponed until June 18, the Dutch Fish Marketing Bureau, known locally as the Nederlands Visbureau, announced earlier on Monday. The Dutch wholesale industry made the decision because the first catch of herring is not of a high enough quality to be processed into the Dutch delicacy. The auction of the first barrel of Dutch herring held at the beginning of the season will take place on June 17 instead of the June 9 as initially planned. This is the second time in three years, and only the third time in history, when the auction of the first barrel is postponed. The reason behind the delay is the lackluster spring weather. Because of insufficient sunlight, there was not enough plankton in the sea, the main source of food for herring. Adequate presence of plankton is an important factor in the quality of Dutch herring. Without it, the fish does not accumulate enough body fat to meet the product standards. Postponement of the herring season has implications for already-scheduled events involving consumption of the fish, such as various herring parties.