European pilchard

Biology

The European pilchard has an elongated body ranging from blue to green in the back and silver in the ventral side. It forms large schools, which feed on plankton, such as small crustaceans, microalgae and fish eggs. During the summer, till middle of fall, this fish accumulates fat in order to growth and be able to reproduce in the following months.

Conservation

Because the European pilchard is one of the most important fisheries in Portugal, there is a management plan for its fishing. This includes a limit of 180 days of fishing per year, per boat, interdiction periods of fishing and juvenile catch limits. The minimum legal size of catch for this species is 11 centimetres.

Curiosities

During the summer this species is very common in Portuguese shore due to a phenomenon called upwelling. The surface waters are removed by the wind, being replaced by deep colder waters, rich in plankton.