Start of herring season on June 14 uncertain

It is uncertain whether the herring season can start as usual on June 14. The herring caught now is not fat enough to be processed into Hollandse Nieuwe, the Dutch Fish Marketing Board announced on Thursday. The industry must make a decision next week.

The so-called Hollandse Nieuwe must have a fat content of at least 16 percent. According to Dutch Fish Marketing Board, the herring currently being taken from the sea has the right food in its stomach to build up enough fat, but the required percentage has not yet been reached. "The delay of the seasons in nature also seems to have an effect on the herring," the board stated.

The traditional preparation method of the Hollandse Nieuwe- involving baking, curing and controlled maturation - takes time. The herring trade will therefore have to decide early next week whether the start of the herring season can be met.