A herring is a deep-sea food fish about twelve inches long, generally considered the world's most important sea food. Though there are several species of herring, the one best known has a slender, tapering body, blue upper parts and silvery underparts, and large, thin scales. In the autumn, usually about November, herring come in from deep water to spawn in the shallow shore water, and it is then that they are taken. The chief centers of the herring industry are the north Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, where English, French, Swedish and Norwegian boats are to be found in large numbers during the fishing season. Herring are smoked, salted and eaten fresh, and are also converted into fertilizer. Oil of a high grade is obtained from herring and used as a lubricant.
