Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Taunton turkey n.

a salt herring.

1850		Mrs A.A. Curtis Home Ballads n.p.: Taunton turkeys are so thick, / We sell them by the rod [DA].
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 348: The common herring, caught in great abundance near Taunton, in the State of Massachusetts, is called there a Taunton Turkey.
1950		Chicago Trib. 17 Jan. 14/3: In Massachusetts [...] the spring herring is known as ‘Taunton turkey’ [DA].