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Baltic herring

 

 

Behind the name of our national fish, the Baltic herring, there are actually two different fish – the springtime and the autumn spawners. Even in their appearance differences can be seen. The head of the spring-spawning Baltic herring is higher and longer and the eyes larger than those of the autumn-spawning Baltic herrings that finish their spawning in October, and are presently very fat and very delicious. We definitely recommend preparing some tasty dish from fresh autumn spawners. The spring-spawning Baltic herring is rather lean in the spawning period.

 

The first herring group fish (clupeids) colonised the Baltic about ten thousand years ago and from them our spring spawners originate. The more warmth-loving autumn Baltic herrings came to the Baltic at a  much later date, probably five thousand years ago.

 

In catches Baltic herrings and sprats are often mixed. The easiest way to distinguish between them is to run a finger "counter-scales“ under the belly; the herring is smooth but on sprats the scales along the keel of the belly resist the finger. From this the fish can be sorted after their looks, and the sprats can be prepared with salt and spices as vürtsikilud, spiced sprats, for a change.