Scientific name: Clupea harengus(Atlantic Herring)
Habitat: Benthopelagic Main role: Prey Trophic level: 3,4
IUCN Red List Assessment: Least Concern
Diet: They mainly prey on zooplankton and fish larvae.
Threats: Herring stocks collapsed worldwide in the 1970s due to overfishing. Subsequent poor recruitment led to a complete fisheries closure in 1977, after which the stock eventually recovered, and fisheries reopened. When fishing for Sprat, young herring is often caught as by-catch since they sometimes swim in the same schools. Herring is closely monitored and managed throughout to ensure stock survival.
The dominant species of Herring in the North Sea is the Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus). These herring form expansive schools and are widely distributed throughout the North Atlantic, including the North Sea. Their migrations follow a distinct pattern: during the spring and summer, they move inshore to coastal waters for spawning, while in winter, they shift to deeper, offshore areas. As they mature, herring undergo a pelagic phase, spending time in the open ocean before returning to coastal waters as adults for spawning. Herring is a keystone species in the Nort Sea as they are a vital prey species for larger predators such as cod, seabirds and marine mammals.
In the North Sea, Herring feed on Benthic Invertebrates and is prey mainly to Demersal Fish, Cetaceans (Dolphins and whales) and Windfarm indifferent/avoiding seabirds. They are highly impacted by Noise and also avoid Surface Disturbance. Herring is primarily caught by Industrial & Pelagic Trawl fishing.
Herring is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.
For detailed information on how the simulation works for the North Sea Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".
The Baltic Sea is home to a specific subspecies of the Atlantic Herring, known as the Baltic Herring (Clupea harengus membras). This subspecies is adapted to the lower salinity levels of the Baltic Sea and have a unique genetic profile. Like the Atlantic Herring, the Baltic Herring also undertake seasonal migrations, but within the Baltic Sea as they move to shallower coastal areas for spawning during the summer. This also means that the Baltic Herring may be more sensitive to changes in environmental conditions due to its specialized adaptation to this unique ecosystem.
The Baltic Herring feeds on Benthos organisms and serve as for Cod and Seals. They are highly sensitive to Surface Disturbance and Noise. Baltic Herring are primarily caught through Pelagic Catch fishing, Active Demersal Catch fishing and Passive Demersal Catch fishing.
For detailed information on how the simulation works for the Baltic Sea Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Foodweb modeling in the Maritime Spatial Planning Challenge Simulation Platform: Results from the Baltic Sea Region"
The Clyde Marine Region is primarily home to the Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus). These herring form expansive schools and are widely distributed throughout the North Atlantic, including the Clyde Marine Region. Their migrations follow a distinct pattern: during the spring and summer, they move inshore to coastal waters for spawning, while in winter, they shift to deeper, offshore areas. As they mature, herring undergo a pelagic phase, spending time in the open ocean before returning to coastal waters as adults for spawning. The mixing of freshwater from the river and seawater in the Clyde estuary can influence the distribution and behavior of herring in this region.
In the Clyde Marine Region, the Herring is prey for Sharks, Birds, Seals, Rays and Skates, Whitting and Cod. They avoid noise and are caught through Seine Catch fishing.
For detailed information on how the simulation works for the Clyde Marine Region Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".
Not applicable. This layer is not yet available in the MSP Challenge Adriatic Sea Edition.
Not applicable. This layer is not yet available in the MSP Challenge Eastern Mediterranean Sea Edition.
Co-funded by the European Union.