Black sea shad (Alosa maeotica)

Scientific name: Alosa maeotica Grimm, 1901

Black sea shad (Alosa maeotica)

The Black sea shad (Alosa maeotica) is a brackish-water fish of the family Clupeidae. Native range: Eurasia, Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Biology

Non-anadromous, entering limans and lower parts of river deltas, but only occasionally in freshwater. A cold-loving species, tolerating 3 or 4?C.. At sea, pelagic in deep water and enters brackish lagoons to spawn. Spawns first at 2 years and many individuals spawn 2-4 seasons. Eggs sink to bottom. Spent individuals return to the sea to feed. In autumn, migrates to southern Black Sea to overwinter. Juveniles migrate to the sea or estuaries during the first summer. Feeds mainly on small fishes (mainly sprats and anchovies) also on shrimps, gammarids and other large crustaceans. It is still more or less abundant in lower reaches of rivers and coastal lagoons, In northern Black Sea, the decline in habitat quality in suitable estuarine ecosystems is expected to have an impact in the immediate future.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Alosa maeotica
Family
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads and sardines)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
31.0
Common length
18.0
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Eurasia: Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=6)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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