Auction of the first barrel of Dutch herring with MSC ecolabel

The first barrel of this year's Dutch herring seasonal catch carrying the MSC ecolabel fetched EUR 67,750 at the traditional auction in Scheveningen (The Hague) on Tuesday, June 7th. The barrel was purchased by Scheveninger' Best, a new a new fish promotion initiative, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to MSC.

After evaluating the new herring arrivals, jury chairman and fish expert Peter Koelewijn said: "The quality of the maatje is excellent this year - the fat content is optimal and the herring is tender and salty. The herring flourished thanks to the good weather which guaranteed plenty of food." The barrel that contained the highest quality herring came from vessel Wiron 6, owned by shipping company Jaczon.  

The proceeds of the sale will be donated to Jantje Beton, a child-care charity. The money will be used to build a new playground at a primary school in Ermelo, The Netherlands.