Gibbing

The liver and pancreas are left in the fish during the salt-curing process because they release enzymes essential for flavor.

Beuckelsz' invention of gibbing created an export industry for salt herring that was monopolized by the Dutch.

They began to build ships and eventually moved from trading in herring to colonizing and the Dutch Empire.

The Emperor Charles V erected a statue to Beuckelsz honouring him as the benefactor of his country, and Queen Mary of Hungary after finding his tomb sat upon it and ate a herring.

Herring is still very important to the Dutch who celebrate Vlaggetjesdag  [nl] (Flag Day) each spring, as a tradition that dates back to the 14th century when fishermen went out to sea in their small boats to capture the annual catch, and to preserve and export their catch abroad.