"The quality of the maatje is excellent this year," fish expert Peter Koelewijn told AFP while sampling the new arrivals at a symbolic auction in the sea-side suburb of Scheveningen.

"Its fat content is particularly high: 26.3 percent compared to the usual 16 percent," he smacked.

Thousands of Dutch are expected to descend on Scheveningen beach on Saturday13 June to celebrate the 2009 maatje season.

A five kilogram (11 pounds) barrel containing 45 herrings was sold for EUR 66,000 at an annual charity auction for the benefit of destitute children. Last year, it fetched EUR 55,000 (USD 92,000).

"The herrings could grow well because the sea is rich in plankton thanks to the good weather we've enjoyed in recent weeks," added Koelewijn.

The "maatje", derived from the Dutch word for virginal but also known as the Hollandse Nieuwe, is fished in the North Sea for just over a month every year from the end of May to the beginning of July.

 GERMANY, Bremen : Dutch hostess Nancy eats a new maatje (herring) of the season  in Bremen.

The fish only qualify for the maatje tag in the short period that "they've become fat and tender enough but before they start reproducing" and developing roe, said Nico de Jong, director of the Dutch Herring Wholesale Association.

A maatje must contain at least 16 percent fat.

Leaner herrings caught during the rest of the year are smoked, made into rollmops or frozen, mainly for exports -- notably to Africa.

The hand-sized maatje is prepared to a unique Dutch recipe: gutted and cleaned straight from the net with only the pancreas left intact to provide the enzymes needed for curing.

 1 2 Next >