Where are the herring?

This is something that makes me sad, angry, confused and just plain frustrated about the San Francisco Bay area. The bay supports the last commercial Pacific herring fishery in the continental U.S. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/01/BAG1PH0QL41.DTL&hw=herring&sn=002&sc=905 . As noted in the article, herring are taken for their roe and sold to the Japanese. As a Japanese-American myself, I don't care too much for the stuff. But I would like to eat some fresh herring (preferrably grilled over coals).

The thing is, where are they? Is there a seafood place that sells fresh herring like the Cypress Grill, http://roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=2738&RefID=2746 ? If so I've never heard of any. Is there some sort of Herring Festival where I can go to eat this wonderful fish? No. I don't think I've ever seen fresh herring in any Chinese or Asian fish market during this time of year. Maybe I'm not looking close enough.

Of course, there's probably a restaurant that has Grilled Filet of Herring with Chipotle-Mango Chutney over Wilted Watercress for $30.00.

Why do you think this is so? I mean. it is a delicious fish.

I've lived in San Francisco for 24 years and never seen grilled herring with chipotle-mango chutney though it does sound like a Bay Area recipe. Still, the most likely place to find herring being served, though not fresh and not grilled, is probably in sour cream in one of the Russian places out in the western end of SF's Richmond District. Try Gastronom (5801 Geary), Europa Express (750 La Playa), Cinderella (436 Balboa), Quality Market (1342 Irving). By the way, if you want local herring, better find them quick because I don't know how much longer the Bay fishery will be allowed: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news03/03074.html .