The last two boats in the Dutch herring fleet are about to become British, local broadcaster Omroep West reports on Friday.

This means there will be no boats flying the Dutch flag when the herring fleet sails into Scheveningen next summer for the start of the official herring season, the broadcaster says.

The two boats are owned by fishing family Jaczon, which is retiring two other ships already using the British flag. Sailing under the British flag gives the Dutch trawlers the right to fish in herring-rich British waters.

‘As long as they keep gutting and preserving the fish the Dutch way,’ fish stall holder Martin Buutveld said. ‘The herring has to be gutted on board the ship, then salted and then frozen. That allows the fish to bleed out, which stops the taste becoming bitter.’

Despite the switch of flags, the owner remains a Scheveningener and the crew come from Katwijk, the broadcaster says. The only real change is the the SCH from Scheveningen is being swapped for the PH from Plymouth.