The iconic North Sea herring fishery is this year celebrating 20 years of certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard for sustainable fishing.
To mark the occasion the MSC has produced ‘Small but Mighty’– a film featuring North Sea herring fishermen, processors and partners across the UK, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. Since 2019 they, together with other nations, have been working closely under one MSC certificate to ensure North Sea herring can continue to be enjoyed by seafood lovers for generations to come.
The film’s release comes as the 2026 herring season gets underway in the North Sea, with annual celebrations taking place across northern Europe including the Vlaggetjesdag (Flag Day) festival in the Netherlands, which celebrates the arrival of the new season’s herring (Hollandse Nieuwe), while UK smokehouses from Lowestoft to Stornoway will be preparing with anticipation to turn the new season’s catch into the world-famous ‘kippers’. And the MSC along with their fishery partners are encouraging everyone to celebrate and enjoy this fantastic sustainable species this year and beyond.
George Clark, MSC UK & Ireland Programme Director, says: “North Sea herring is a powerful example of what can be achieved when nations, fisheries and supply chain partners work together towards a shared long-term goal. At a time when fisheries are facing increasing pressure from climate change and growing global demand for seafood, this kind of international cooperation is essential to protecting healthy oceans and securing sustainable seafood for the future.”
“MSC’s new film, Small but Mighty, features fishermen and partners from Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands and elsewhere, all united by a shared commitment to securing a healthy future for this centuries-old fishery,” he added.
Scottish skipper Adam Wiseman says in the film: “Herring are very small, but mighty in taste and they’re plentiful in the North Sea so it’s a good, healthy fish to eat, for sure. The sustainable part for us is important. We are fully focused on protecting what we have. We want there to be fish for the future.”
In December 2025, Norway, the European Union, and the UK agreed to jointly manage quotas under a new long-term management strategy to safeguard stocks, in a demonstration of continued international cooperation. The negotiations also yielded a fishing first as the three parties signed up to a long-term management plan for North Sea herring. MSC certification is also held by several other countries across this and other certificates, including Poland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Northern Ireland and Norway.
Sophisticated sonar equipment, smart nets and rigorous measuring of their catch are just some of the measures the fisheries’ vessels employ to maintain healthy stocks and minimise bycatch.
Major retailers like Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA and Lidl are among those sourcing and selling MSC labelled North Sea herring in various forms including canned staples, marinated fillets and traditionally smoked kippers, showcasing its versatility.
The film is also available to watch here: Small but Mighty - North Sea herring.
