The Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a vital fish species found in UK waters, playing a significantly ecological and economic role. As a key component of marine food webs, herring serve as prey for larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, while their shoaling behaviour supports commercial fisheries. Herring populations are distributed widely across the North Sea, Irish Sea, and surrounding waters, and their spawning behaviour involves laying adhesive eggs on seabeds in specific locations, making them vulnerable to habitat degradation and overfishing.
