Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Herrings (Clupeidae)

Herring silhouette.

Herring are a large family of schooling fishes with a worldwide distribution. Most species are marine, with some being anadromous and/or freshwater. Many species are extremely abundant, making them important forage for larger predators. Herring support some of the largest commercial fisheries in the world. Many herring species are similar in appearance and can be very difficult to distinguish from each other. Herring are laterally compressed, silvery fish with large, easily detached scales, and a belly with a sawlike keel. They have deeply forked tails, no spines, a single soft dorsal fin and abdominal pelvic fins. Scales are absent from cheeks and opercles. There is no lateral line on the body. The base of the dorsal fin is located over the base of the pelvic fins. There is a small flap of tissue (axillary process) present at the base of the pelvic fin.

There are six native species of herring that commonly enter fresh waters in Connecticut. Three are anadromous (one of these has become landlocked in many lakes); one is freshwater/estuarine; one is estuarine/marine; and one is primarily marine. A seventh, marine species, the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), is common in coastal waters of Long Island Sound but rarely ventures into fresh water.

Click on the species' names below to learn more.

American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) - Native

50 cm American shad.

 

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) - Native

27 cm anadromous alewife.

 

Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) - Native

Adult blueback herring.

 

Hickory Shad (Alosa mediocris) - Native

42 cm hickory shad.

 

Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) - Native

48 cm gizzard shad.

 

Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) - Native

8 cm menhaden.

 

Herring are generally not suitable for home aquariums. They require large circular tanks, preferably with a current. They must be kept in large schools, eat only plankton (such as brine shrimp) and are very fragile and skittish.

 

Text and images adapted from Jacobs, R. P., O'Donnell, E. B., and Connecticut DEEP. (2009). A Pictorial Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Connecticut. Hartford, CT. Available for purchase at the DEEP Store.