Herring

Herring are different types of small fish that belong to the group called Clupeiformes. They often swim together in big groups, called schools, near coastlines. You can find them in places like the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, such as the Baltic Sea. They also live in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay of Bengal.

Three main kinds of herring make up most of the herring caught by fishers. The most common is the Atlantic herring, which is caught more than any other kind. These fish have been very important for fishing in Europe. Long ago, learning about herring helped scientists start the study of fisheries science.

People also enjoy eating herring. They have eaten them for many years and often salted, smoked, or pickled to keep them fresh. In the United Kingdom, people called herring “silver darlings” because they were so valuable.

Species

Many different fish are called herrings. They belong to a family called Clupeidae. The name "herring" may come from an old word meaning "host" or "multitude" because they often swim together in large groups.

The main kinds of herring are the Atlantic herring, found in the North Atlantic, and the Pacific herring, found in the North Pacific. Some other fish are also called herrings, like the lake herring, even though they are not exactly the same as the main kinds. What people call a herring can change depending on where they live.

Characteristics

Herrings are silvery fish. They belong to a family with about 200 species, including sardines and menhadens. They have one soft dorsal fin without spines and a lower jaw that sticks out, but they do not have a lateral line. Their size changes: the Baltic herring is small, about 14 to 18 cm (5.5 to 7 inches). The Atlantic herring can grow up to about 46 cm (18 in) and the Pacific herring up to about 38 cm (15 in).

Main article: Clupea
Main articles: Shad, Sardine, Menhaden

Life cycle

Herring have an interesting life cycle. It starts when they lay eggs on the sea bed. These eggs stick to rocks, sand, or seaweed. They need gentle water to stay alive. After about two weeks, the eggs hatch into tiny larvae. The larvae are almost see-through.

As the larvae grow, they develop fins. Their bodies become less see-through. When they are about four inches long, they look more like adult herring. It usually takes three years for herring to be old enough to lay their own eggs.

Ecology

Herrings eat small creatures like copepods, arrow worms, pelagic amphipods, mysids, and krill that live in open water. As they grow, they also eat phytoplankton and tiny animals called zooplankton, including small fish and fish eggs. Herring stay deep during the day to avoid animals that want to eat them and come up to feed at night.

Many animals rely on herring for food, including seabirds, dolphins, porpoises, whales, seals, sea lions, and big fish like sharks, tuna, salmon, and cod. These animals sometimes work together to catch schools of herring.

Fisheries

People catch adult herring for their meat and eggs. They also use herring as bait for catching other fish. The herring trade is very important for many countries. In Europe, herring is called the "silver of the sea" because it has been one of the most important types of fishing in history.

As food

Herring has been an important food for thousands of years. People enjoy eating herring in many ways, such as raw, fermented, pickled, or smoked as kippers.

Herring are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. However, water pollution can make herring unsafe to eat because of harmful substances. Smaller herring are usually safer to eat more often.

History

Herring have been very important for a long time, both for people and money. During the Middle Ages, herring helped create cities like Great Yarmouth, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam. In 1274, a famous thinker named Thomas Aquinas asked for fresh herring when he was ill. In Scotland, herring fishing became a big part of the economy, especially near the North Sea. The fishing industry grew most in the late 1800s, with places like Shetland and its town Lerwick becoming famous for catching herring.