SardinesSpecies
Atlantic herring
Clupea harengus ⚠︎ sold as sardine, but not one
The Atlantic herring is a large clupeid of the North Atlantic that sometimes appears in products loosely labelled 'sardines', but it is not a true sardine under EU rules.
| Family | Clupeidae |
|---|---|
| Also called | Herring, Sild, Sledz |
| Seas / areas | Northeast Atlantic (FAO 27); Northwest Atlantic (FAO 21) |
About the fish
- Widely distributed across the temperate North Atlantic on both the European and North American sides.
- A pelagic schooling fish, commonly around 25-30 cm and reaching roughly 40 cm in length.
- Not a true sardine; under EU Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 the plain name 'sardines' is reserved for Sardina pilchardus.
- Young herring are used in some products, and certain loosely labelled tins (for example some Polish 'sardynki') may contain herring rather than pilchard.
- One of the most historically and commercially important fish of the North Atlantic.
Brands using Atlantic herring in this directory
USA · Strong inference