Norwegian spring-spawning herring, the world's largest herring stock, lays a blanket of roe on the seabed off the Møre coast every February. The weight of the roe is three times the combined weight of the entire population of Norway. Here you can read the story of this amazing raw material.

A migratory fish species

As the ocean current flows like a giant river northward along the coast, herring larvae are carried far into the Barents Sea. Here, the herring larvae grow into small herring. When the herring is 3–4 years old, it swims westward down the coast. The herring can live as long as 25 years and reach a size of 40 cm.

Herring is important in several ecosystems

Herring are of great importance to the ecosystems along the coast, in the Norwegian Sea and in the Barents Sea. Herring can occur in huge shoals of up to 500 million individuals. It is a powerful spectacle!

Herring feed on redfish, and are themselves an important food resource for predatory fish such as cod, saithe and other bottom fish, in addition to whales. Large schools of killer whales follow the herring on its migrations, and many other fish species come to feed on herring eggs and larvae. Juvenile and adult herring are also food for seabirds. Herring are food for others throughout their lives, and only a tiny fraction of the eggs become adult fish.

Huge quantities of herring along the Norwegian coast

Due to the abundant occurrences of herring with the influx of enormous shoals near our coast, it has been relatively easy to catch large quantities. Herring fishing has for long periods been the most important Norwegian fishery, and has had a major impact on the economy and food supply in our country.

From the mid-1960s, overfishing led to quota-regulated catches of herring, and by 1970, practically the entire spawning stock was gone. The collapse was due to a combination of overfishing and natural fluctuations. New knowledge and strict regulations made it possible to build up the herring stock. Today, the stock of Norwegian spring-spawning herring is well monitored, precisely to ensure a large and sustainable stock.

Herring from sustainable fisheries

The herring fisheries are certified by the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council), an international non-profit organization established to ensure sustainable fisheries.

At Romega we use roe from the fishery that takes place in the winter during the spawning season along the Norwegian coast. When filleting herring, the roe, which is considered a residual raw material, can be utilized. Only modest quantities are utilized for consumption today.

What makes herring roe so special, you might be wondering?

Herring roe contains the starter package for new life, which is precisely why this is a fantastic raw material. Herring roe is highly nutritious with a high protein and fat content, and it contains all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the herring needs to develop precisely.

Around 60% of the fat in herring roe is in the form of omega-3 bound phospholipids. The majority of the fat we get through the foods we eat is triglycerides. Romega differs from several other omega-3 products on the market with its content of phospholipids.

The main raw material in Romega

The nutrients in herring roe can be useful, not only for the herring larva that will become an adult fish, but also for many other animals in addition to us humans. In Romega, many of these nutrients have been preserved in the process from roe to capsule.

What a unique resource nature offers us, right outside our living room window. It is not without reason that we are very proud that roe is the main raw material in Romega.

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