Pacific herring are a foundational species in British Columbia’s coastal ecosystems, playing a vital role in sustaining salmon, seabirds, whales, and marine biodiversity. Yet, the commercial sac roe fishery continues to deplete herring stocks, harvesting fish before they spawn only to extract their eggs, while the rest of the fish are turned into low-value products like fish meal for pet food, fertilizer and aquaculture feed.
This unsustainable practice threatens herring populations, disrupts marine food webs, and disregards Indigenous-led conservation efforts. In addition to commercial fishing, herring populations continue to face significant pressures from climate change. As concerns grow over declining stocks and inadequate fisheries management, access to reliable scientific research is more critical than ever.
This 2025 updated review of Pacific Wild’s Annotated Herring Bibliography for The Fighting Fish expands on key research areas, incorporating new studies on herring biology, historic abundance, Indigenous knowledge and management, fisheries policies, and climate change vulnerability. It explores the complex role of herring in marine food webs, their interactions with species like salmon, and the importance of spatially structured metapopulations in maintaining genetic diversity and localized stocks. Each entry includes a concise summary, making it easy to navigate the latest findings on herring conservation and sustainability.
By bringing together independent research, traditional ecological knowledge, and conservation science, this resource aims to support informed decision-making and advocacy for stronger protections of herring populations. Explore the latest research and join us in defending Pacific herring and the ecosystems that depend on them.
Pacific Wild has long advocated for the removal of open-net pen salmon farms from British Columbia’s coastal waters. Our ongoing campaigns highlight the systemic failures in monitoring and regulating these industrial operations, as well as the critical need to transition to land-based, closed-containment systems to protect wild salmon runs.
Without decisive action to remove open-net pen salmon farms, wild salmon populations will likely continue to decline, with devastating effects on marine biodiversity and communities that rely on healthy, thriving oceans. Help us protect this vital species and ensure their survival for generations to come. Join us in protecting wild salmon by saying #FOFF to fish farms.
