| U.S. Range in the Pacific Ocean |
San Francisco to Puget Sound, Washington (Emmett et al. 1991)
Introduced to California in 1870's (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| Habitat |
Estuaries and rivers (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Substrate |
Not selective (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Depth range (meters) |
Surface to 340 (Neves and Depres 1979 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Behavior |
School
Anadromous (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
| General Temperature Range (°C) |
Very temperature sensitive (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| General Salinity Range (ppt) |
Euryhaline and anadromous (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Average Maximum Overall Length (cm) |
Largest herring on Pacific coast (Eschmeyer and Herald and Herald 1983) |
| Overall Maximum Age (years) |
7 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Male Age at Maturity (years) |
3 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Female Age at Maturity (years) |
4 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Overall Length at Maturity (cm) |
30–76
Males are shorter than females (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Type of Reproduction |
Gonochoristic, oviparous, iteroparous (but many die after spawning) (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Fecundity |
30,000–300,000 (Moyle 1976 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning Habitat |
River over clean sand and gravel (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning Behavior |
Broadcast spawner (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Time of Year of Spawning |
Spring and early Summer (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Spawning/Temperature Relationship (°C) |
14–21 (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Description of Eggs |
Demersal
Non-adhesive (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Eggs are found |
Along river bank (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days to Hatch |
4–5 at 15–18°C (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Temperature for Egg Survival (°C) |
15.5–26.6 (optimal) (Leggett and Whitney 1972 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Salinity for Egg Survival (ppt) |
7.5–10 (Facey and Van Den Avyle 1986 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Days in Larval Stage |
28–35 (Walburg and Nicholas 1967 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Larval Food Preference |
Plankton (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Juveniles are found |
Estuaries and rivers (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Length when Juvenile Settles out (cm) |
2.5 (Walburg and Nicholas 1967 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Juvenile Food Preference |
Plankton (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Habitat where Adults are found (depth in meters) |
Move offshore (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Temperature for Adult Survival (°C) |
3–15 while in ocean (Neves and Depres 1979 in Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Adult Food Preference |
Minute organisms (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
Plankton (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Commercial Fishery |
Usually fished in freshwater (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
In Oregon only caught in Columbia River (Emmett et al. 1991) |
| Style Species is Sold |
"Delicious smoked" (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) |
