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Alewife
Alosa pseudoharengus
Identification
A small, silvery, herring-like baitfish with a single dark spot behind the gill cover.
Where It's Found
Anadromous along the Atlantic coast, and landlocked in the Great Lakes and other large northern lakes, where it's a critical forage species.
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Fishing Notes
Rarely targeted directly, but its seasonal spawning runs up coastal rivers are a notable spring event, and its abundance drives predator fish behavior in the lakes where it's established.
Scientific Classification▾
Family
Alosidae
Genus
Alosa
Order
Clupeiformes
Class
Actinopterygii
Phylum
Chordata
Kingdom
Animalia
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Photography sourced from Wikimedia Commons contributors.