Quality and Processing Possibilities of Western Baltic Sea Spring Spawning Herring

Abstract

Until 1990 the western Baltic Sea spring herring has been extensively used as raw material for the processing industry of the former German Democratic Republic. Today North Sea herring and other Atlantic herring stocks are preferred and utilization of the Baltic Sea herring stock, which has been caught between January and May around the Island of Rügen and in the Greifswalder Bodden, has dropped down dramatically. The reduction in exploitation of this resource is connected to enhanced quality specification required by German herring processing companies after reunion of both states. In this study the quality of Baltic Sea spring herring from ICES subdivisions 22 and 24 was assessed and following conclusions were obtained: • Processing possibilities of Baltic Sea spring herring are limited due to low fat content (5-8%), a slight dry and short fiber texture and a less typical flavour and taste. • Off-flavour and taste (tainting) which has been often observed until mid nineties disappeared within the last years. • Infestation rates and abundance of nematodes (Anisakisspp.) are comparable to North Sea herring stocks. • Contamination levels of organic and inorganic pollutants are far below legal limits. Only gill net fishery and trap fishing are able to guarantee a continuous supply of desired size classes 2 and 3. Trial with pair trawl fishing did not show promising results. Due to reorganization and reduction of local fishery activities during the past ten years, an increase of the annual landing capacity of more than 10,000 t is questionable in future.