The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR) has recommended that the North Sea herring quota be cut by 12% to 426 259 tonnes, down from 518 242 tonnes last year. The herring stock is in good shape, according to the IMR, but scientists are worried about recruitment, which is poor at the moment. The main reason for this is a higher natural death rate than normal this year.

The North Sea herring is reported to be "fat and fine" by fishers and traders, according to FiskeribladetFiskaren. Fat content was measured to be 15.5%, which is quite good. Herring caught further south were smaller in size.

Fishermen active in Skagerak (the area between Norway and Denmark), on the other hand, are complaining that the herring is spread all over the place in smaller shoals, and that the fish are very small, about 10 fish to the kg, which is too small for human consumption. It therefore goes to reduction, and at considerably lower prices than herring for human consumption. Later in the season, it is expected that the herring will form larger shoals and be easier to catch.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that some 32 000 tonnes of herring will be available for harvesting in the Togiak region this year. This represents about 20% of the estimated biomass in the region, which has been set at 162 244 tonnes.

The Togiak roe herring harvest for 2016 was set at 13 763 tonnes, which is a reduction of 26% compared with last year's landings, although reasonably close to the 2004-2013 average catch of 14 066 tonnes.

Prices

Norway reports record high prices for all pelagic species during the first quarter of the year. Indeed, Norwegian export prices increased by between 2-53% per kg (Source: Norwegian Seafood Council).

However, one of the main reasons for this registered increase is the fact that the Norwegian krone has depreciated against most currencies, so that prices reported in NOK appear to be higher than what they are on the international market.

However, Norwegian herring fishermen report poor prices paid for the matjes herring they land in Norway. In the beginning of June, first-hand prices were as low as NOK 4.37 per kg. In an effort to achieve better prices, some vessels have chosen to go all the way to Skagen in Denmark.

The report analyses the market situation over the period January-June 2016