Traditional herring auction nets €89,500 for youth nutrition organization JOGG

The traditional auction for the first barrel of Hollandse Nieuwe herring raised 89,500 euros on Tuesday. As is usually the case, the proceeds will be donated to charity. This year, the money will be going to the organization JOGG-Gezonde Jeugd, Gezonde Toekomst, which is committed to healthy eating and exercise for primary school children.

Mark Sluis, the director of Fishlovers.nl, told Visserij that he was very pleased with the organization receiving the money. “We are very enthusiastic about this wonderful initiative. It fits in perfectly with our mission: to make young people aware of how healthy fish is, and herring in particular. In a time when young people mainly look for information online, it is crucial that they learn from an early age what good nutrition can mean for them.”

According to the panel that inspected the herring for the auction, which consisted of herring expert Peter Koelewijn, chef Erik Tas, and primary school student Ava, the herring is “nicely fat, creamy and perfectly matured,” the Dutch Fish Marketing Board for the Dutch fishing industry said.

The people present at the event were able to taste the herring after the auction. Students from ROC Mondriaan provided surprising herring amuse-pouches under the supervision of chef Erik Tas.

This is not a record when it comes to the most money raised from the auction. This came in 2023 when the first barrel was bought for 159,500 euros.

People in the Netherlands eat around 76 million herrings annually. Another 100 million are eaten in Germany and Belgium. The Hollandse Nieuwe herring will be available for purchase from tomorrow in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.