A RECORD price was paid on May 31 at the auction of the first bucket of new-season Dutch 'Matjes' herring.

The first bucket of at-sea sea gutted and processed Matjes herring was landed in Scheveningen on May 28. By tradition the best quality fish is chosen by a board of herring inspectors.

As there are now only two Dutch ships producing gutted-at-sea herring, four buckets were chosen from Jaczon's pair team of Wiron 5 (SCH 22) and Wiron 6 (SCH 23).

Wiron 5's bucket was sold by American auction in which each bidder pays only the difference between his and the former bid. Bidding was lively and the bucket sold for a record €60,000 to Jaczon, which gave the money to the Netherlands Brain Foundation.

The pair team had landed 20,000 buckets of at-sea gutted and processed Matjes herring and, also, 15,000 cartons of frozen herring. A bucket contains 45 to 50 Matjes.

Gutting at sea is still considered the best way to produce Dutch Matjes and only virginal herring of a certain fat content are chosen. This North Sea herring is caught in June/July at about 56 and 57 deg. north.

The pair team makes three trips annually of about 10 to 12 days and their Matjes are bought and sold by Jac. Den Dulk & Zn. , a daughter company of Jaczon.

The majority of Matjes herring is imported after being caught by Danish and Norwegian vessels, stored in chill tanks and supplied to shore factories. Gutting and processing is carried out on shore under the supervision of Dutch herring traders.

In the evening of May 31, a bucket of Dutch Matjes supplied by Cornelis Vrolijk was auctioned at Ijmond, the IJmuiden restaurant.

Ijmuiden's fish trade was bidding and the bucket sold for €27,000 to De Waard Groep, the cash going to the hospice Bijna Thuis Huis (Almost Home House).

The supply of Matjes herring is running well this season, according to Nico de Jong, chairman of the Dutch Matjes Herring Trader Association. Supplies in Norway and Denmark are of good quality and large in quantity as well. Mainly larger size herring are being caught.

Because of that less small herring is available for the market.

Special flavour

MATJES herring is a Dutch delicacy processed in the following way:

The blade of a small knife is pushed under the gill cover and then the throat is pushed to the blade by the thumb;

By pulling the herring away with the other hand, the gills, throat and intestines - except the pancreas - are removed;

Blood can now flow away easily, leaving the flesh clear and light;

The herring is mixed with salt and stored in a cask for 12 hours;

Enzymes of the pancreas change the proteins of the herring, giving it its special taste, smell and structure;

Matjes herring is then packed in small buckets.

Extra brine is added and the buckets are put through a freezing tunnel to eliminate the anisakiasis parasite.

Today, gutting is almost entirely by machine, but small amounts are still done by hand.

News

Record bid for Dutch Matjes herring