alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

Coastal fish ascend rivers while lake fish remain landlocked

Gray
Temperate
Coastal
Upper river
Northern Hemisphere
Regional distribution
Atlantic Ocean
North America
Fusiform
Compressed cross-section
Medium
Temperate fish

The alewife or river herring (Alosa pseudoharengus; pl.: alewives) is an anadromous species of herring found in North America. It is one of the "typical" North American shads, of the subgenus Pomolobus. As an adult it is a marine species found in the northern West Atlantic Ocean, moving into estuaries before swimming upstream to breed in freshwater habitats, but some populations live entirely in fresh water.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Herrings
Family: Alosidae
Genus: Alosa
Maximum length: 40 cm
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: North America: Atlantic coast from Red Bay, Labrador in Canada to South Carolina in USA; many landlocked populations exist. Individuals with access to ocean are anadromous, ascending coastal rivers during spring spawning migraitons. Native to Lake Ontario; introduced into other Great Lakes via Welland Canal (first taken in Lake Erie in 1931). Introduced elsewhere, including New River in West Virginia and Virginia, and upper Tennessee River system in Tennessee, USA.
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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