The majority of the herring consumed in Sweden consists of Norwegian spring-spawning herring, which is fished in the Norwegian Sea. However, the herring stock lost its MSC environmental certification at the turn of the year 2020/2021.
After that, large parts of the trade and producers have continued to produce pickled herring from this stock, even though it is not considered sustainable, says Christopher Frånberg, marine biologist and market developer at MSC Sweden.
However, there are other herring alternatives available in stores that are environmentally certified, and soon there will be more to choose from. The first catch of MSC-certified herring for the autumn season has now arrived in Sweden from the North Sea.
We hope to see a shift where we can celebrate Christmas and Midsummer with sustainable alternatives, says Frånberg.
"The decision to invest more in herring from the North Sea was made in connection with the Norwegian spring-spawning herring losing its MSC certification. We are pleased that this investment has received a positive response on the market, even though Swedish herring of the right quality cannot cover our entire demand," says Jonas Ragnhage, CEO of the seafood producer Marenor, in a press release.
