Baltic herring belongs to the herring family. It can be found mostly in the eastern parts of the Baltic Sea where the seawater is mildly salty. The Baltic herring is the main fish caught commercially providing a half of the entire fishing catch. The fish is usually caught near the shore with pound nets and during the autumn and spring season by fishing trawlers. Compared to the Atlantic herring the Baltic herring is less fatty, but is suitable for marinating, spicing, smoking etc.
Baltic
sprat
Sprattus sprattus balticus
Baltic sprat is one the most important food fish in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic sprat is a small fish of 9 to 10 cm on average. The sprat has a bluish-green back and silvery sides and belly. An array of sharp scales runs along the edge of the belly to the anal fin. The fish is caught mostly by fishing trawlers. The Estonian spiced sprats have been well-known for their unconventional taste since the second half of the 18th century. Today sprats are mostly preserved (spiced sprats) or canned (canned sprats). A large part of the caught fish is marketed as frozen briquette.