Baltic herring

Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras) is the Baltic-adapted subspecies of Atlantic herring and one of the foundational small pelagic fish of the Baltic Sea. Commercially, the fishery is divided into several management units, most importantly the central Baltic, Gulf of Riga, Gulf of Bothnia, and western Baltic stocks. In 2025, target TACs were set at 83,881 tonnes for central Baltic herring, 41,635 tonnes for Gulf of Riga herring, and 66,446 tonnes for Bothnian herring, while western Baltic herring remained effectively a by-catch fishery. In 2024, central Baltic herring catches stood at about 75,236 tonnes, with the largest shares taken by Russia, Poland, Sweden, and Estonia.

From a product perspective, Baltic herring has a dual commercial role. It remains a traditional food fish in the Baltic states and Finland, sold as whole fish, gutted product, fillets, and marinated items, while at the same time large volumes are directed into bait, fishmeal and fish oil, especially for aquaculture feed. This gives Baltic herring a broader industrial role than many similar species: it is both a regional food fish and a strategic fishmeal raw material.

In market terms, Baltic herring is best understood as a core Baltic volume species. It is not positioned as a premium fish, but it is commercially indispensable, linking coastal food traditions with large-scale industrial processing. Alongside sprat, it dominates Baltic pelagic landings and remains one of the species that define the economics of the region’s fishing industry.