European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) fish species and information / pictures of European sprat - Sprattus sprattus

European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Sprattus sprattus

Common Name
European sprat

Biology
Usually inshore schooling, sometimes entering estuaries (especially the juveniles) and tolerating salinities as low as 4 ppt. Shows strong migrations between winter feeding and summer spawning grounds. Moves to the surface at night. Feeds on planktonic crustaceans (Ref. 9900). Spawns at depths of 10-20 m producing 6,000-14,000 pelagic eggs (Ref. 35388). Some spawn almost throughout the year, mainly in spring and summer, near the coast or up to 100 km out to sea, the young drifting inshore. Sold as 'brislings' to canneries. Sprat are used in the production of fish meal and as mink food, less for human consumption (Ref. 9900). Utilized fresh, smoked, canned and frozen; can be pan-fried and broiled (Ref. 9988).

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Northeast Atlantic

Distribution

Northeast Atlantic: North Sea and Baltic south to Morocco; also the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Black seas.

Range

66°N - 30°N, 11°W - 42°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

150 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 150 m (Ref. 6302)

Trophic Level

3 s.e. 0.00 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

16.0 cm

Common Length

12.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5312 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; bait: usually

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (rm=1.7; K=0.13-0.77; tm=1-2; tmax=6; Fec=2,000 (batch fec))

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated