WILD AND FRESH

Pacific herring are beautiful fin fish with bluish green colouration on their backs and shiny silver sides and bellies. They average 18 cm (7 inches) long and 110 g (1/4 lb).

Once caught, the herring are loaded into the hold of the seiner which contains clear ocean water, salt and ice. The herring is kept a degree or two above freezing for the twelve hour journey to Steveston. The herring sold at our event are between 24 and 48 hours old - fresh and perfect for eating.

A SUSTAINABLE FISHERY

British Columbia herring stocks are generally in good shape and the stocks off the east coast of Vancouver Island where we catch the fish for our event are in excellent shape.

In 2012/13, the B.C. herring stock was forecast to be 152,000 tonnes of which 20% was allocated to food, commercial, aboriginal and sport fishermen.

Approximately 60 tonnes will be harvested for our event. See Ocean Ecology or the Department of Fisheries herring management plan to learn more about herring.

RECIPES

Pacific herring have soft, off-white flesh with high oil content which offers a wonderful full flavour and lends itself perfectly to many preparations including pickling, smoking, canning and salting. Some of our favourites recipes include:

• Kosta the Fishmonger's three recipe demonstration plus how to clean and fillet herring.
• Fried Herring Fillets with a Lime Pepper Crust
• Herring "rillettes" and Pastry
• Mediterranean-style herring linguine