Technically, there is no such thing as National Herring Month.
That said, if herring were to have its own month, it would be June, which marks both the beginning and end of the all too brief New Catch Holland herring season. New Catch Holland herring, or Hollandse Nieuwe, are raw, barely cured herring caught at their fatty peak and prized for their rich, buttery texture: they're like the sushi of Northern Europe.
The New Catch season lasts only a few precious weeks, and functions almost as a PR campaign for the homely, humble herring. While our own country has never given the silvery fish the love it deserves, it has been a staple of the Northern European and Scandinavian diet for centuries, and instrumental in the waxing and waning fortunes of kingdoms and nations.
And fourth-generation co-owner of New York's Russ & Daughters Niki Russ Federman (pictured after the jump) knows from herring (Holland and otherwise). Besides being a shrine to smoked salmon, her family's shop functions as the U.S.'s ground zero for New Catch Holland herring, which they import directly from Holland.
We asked Federman for a Herring 101 and she complied, describing everything from the fish's storied health benefits to its place in European history after the jump.
We've all heard about eating fish to get more Omega-3's fatty acids in our diet. I was browsing through CNN.com and ran across an 
The fatty acid Omega-3 has been the topic of discussion ranging from a treatment for 
Scientists are exploring the possible uses of
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, in preventing the spread of prostate cancer, according to study published in
the 
Research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center suggests that levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acids, commonly found in fish, may have effects on depression levels, personality and behavior. A recent study examined
the blood levels of omega-3s in 106 healthy volunteers and found that those with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids
were more likely to be impulsive, have a negative outlook and report mild or moderate depression. The results were
based on "three accepted tests for depression, impulsiveness and personality," according to a UPMC 
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