The British Columbia commercial herring fishery is taking place on a sea of troubles this season.

Herring, a foundation fish in the ocean food chain, remains a staple for the commercial fishery, worth $10 million in landed value to boats in a good year. However, opinions remain divided on how well stocks have recovered after being fished to near collapse in the 1960s.

In the Strait of Georgia, where stocks are characterized as at near historic levels, the herring spawn has looked healthy but fishermen have been confounded by schools in which fish didn't have enough roe to be commercially viable.

Officials estimate they've only netted half their allocated catch, with expectations for prices so low it was hard for a lot of boats to justify going out.

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