Herring's cousin is a term used to refer to three different species of fish: MENHADEN (8 letters), SPRAT (5 letters), and SHAD (4 letters). MENHADEN are small, oily fish found in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. SPRAT are small, silvery fish found in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. SHAD are anadromous fish found in rivers and streams in North America and Europe. All three species are related to herring and are commonly used as bait or for human consumption.