This year’s herring catch is “lekker vet” the Telegraaf reported on Monday, ahead of Wednesday’s official launch of the herring season.

Last year the launch of the season had to be delayed by a week because the fish were not considered ready. The sale of the “new herring” is strictly controlled and the fish can only be sold once the Association of Herring Wholesalers has deemed the quality to be sufficient and set the date.

On Tuesday the first barrel of fish will be sold in aid of charity – this year the Dutch brain bank and Dutch brain institute are the beneficiaries. On Thursday, Hollandse Nieuwe will be available in the shops, and fishmongers who break the embargo face fines running into thousands of euros.

Then on Saturday Vlaggetjesdag (day of the little flags) will be celebrated in Scheveningen, a tradition that harks back to when the herring fleet came home. Most Hollandse Nieuwe are actually caught by the Norwegians, Swedes and the Danes and the last two Dutch trawlers gave up in 2013.

Hollandse Nieuwe is the name given to young herring caught between mid-May and the end of June which have a body fat percentage of at least 16%. The fish are gutted and salted but the pancreas containing an enzyme which helps the fish to ripen is left in place. 

Hollandse Nieuwe are actually caught weeks before the launch of the season, salted and deep frozen until the official start. The fish has to be frozen by law anyway to kill off the herring worm.