Atlantic Herring

The Atlantic herring is widely distributed in the continental shelf waters from Labrador to Virginia. These small oily fish reproduce quickly and in vast numbers and so form the basic food source for many marine species including other fishes, seals, whales, squid and people. Young herring, called sardines, are pickled and canned and larger ones are smoked and kippered. Herring is also one of the principal fish used as bait in the cod-fishery. Each herring is individually hand-crafted and may differ slightly from the photograph shown.