From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Any of a very large family of small saltwater fish, Clupea harengus, found in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. These fish generally have long, silvery-blue bodies and strong-flavored flesh. While fresh herring can be purchased during the spring, it's more often sold canned, smoked (as kippers) or pickled. The name is German, from heer, meaning "an army", because they like to swim in very large schools. See also brathering, cisco, sardine, sprat.
