The Virtual Aquarium of Virginia Tech--Herrings

Blueback Herring, Alosa aestivalis

 
Physical Description: 
ï¿½	Moderately deep and compressed body
ï¿½	Supraterminal mouth 
ï¿½	Small dorsal fin
ï¿½	Large eye
ï¿½	Deeply forked tail fin 
ï¿½	Anal fin slightly longer than dorsal fin
ï¿½	Small pelvic fins, moderate pectoral fins  
ï¿½	Dark blue or blue-gray on back
ï¿½	Silver side
ï¿½	Single black shoulder spot
ï¿½	Fins plain, pale yellow to green

Similar species: 
ï¿½	Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Mean body size:
ï¿½	Adults are 150-250 mm total length

Habitat:
ï¿½	Pelagic schooling fish that inhabit marine and fresh waters
ï¿½	Larvae and juveniles found in brackish and tidal fresh water

Distribution in VA:
ï¿½	Atlantic slope drainages
ï¿½	Introduced into reservoirs with mixed results

Food Habits:  
ï¿½	Young eat cladocerans and copepods
ï¿½	Adults eat copepods, plankton, shrimps, small fish, and insects

Reproductive Habits: 
ï¿½	Mature by age 4 
ï¿½	Spawn from late April to late May in water 21-24ï¿½C
ï¿½	Migrate upstream to spawn
ï¿½	Spawn in current over firm substrate
ï¿½	Spawn along cove shorelines in reservoirs (Kerr Reservoir)
ï¿½	One female and two or more males swim in a circle releasing gametes as they dive
ï¿½	Eggs are adhesive at first, then float in water column 
ï¿½	Fecundity is 45,800-349,700 eggs per female

Population Status, Economic, or Ecological Importance: 
ï¿½	Good forage fish in Kerr Reservoir
ï¿½	Much of the range reduced due to overfishing, degradation and dams, habitat

References:       

Jenkins, R.E and N.M. Burkhead. 1993. Freshwater Fishes of Virginia. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.

If you are seeking more information for the above species click on the VAFWIS logo (The Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service):

Alewife

American Shad

Blueback

Gizzard Shad

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