Anchovy

Anchovies are small, common fish that belong to the Engraulidae family. They are mostly found in the ocean, but some can live in water that is a mix of salt and fresh water, and a few types in South America live only in fresh water. There are over 140 different kinds of anchovies grouped into 16 groups, and they can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. These little fish are often called oily fish, which means they have a lot of natural oils in their bodies.

Taxonomy

Anchovies are small fish that belong to a group called Engraulidae. They have many different types, grouped into 16 genres. These fish live in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

The oldest known fossils related to anchovies are from a time long ago, called the Eocene, found in places like Belgium and Pakistan. These ancient relatives had big teeth, earning them the nickname "saber-toothed anchovies." True anchovies appear even earlier in fossils from Italy. Even though anchovies are very common today, they are not often found as fossils. This might be because the places where they live do not preserve fossils well.

Characteristics

Anchovies are small, green fish that sometimes look blue because of a shiny silver stripe along their sides. They can grow from about 2 to 40 centimeters (1 to 15+1⁄2 inches) long, and they come in different body shapes, with those in colder northern areas being more slender.

Their noses are blunt and they have tiny sharp teeth in both upper and lower jaws. They also have a special organ near their noses, which might help them sense electric signals, but scientists aren't sure exactly how it works. Anchovies eat tiny plants and animals floating in the water, as well as very young fish.

Distribution

Anchovies live in many parts of the world's oceans, but they are most common in temperate waters. They are rarely found in very cold or very warm seas. These fish can live in a wide range of temperatures and salinity levels. Large groups of anchovies can be found in shallow, brackish water areas with muddy bottoms, like estuaries and bays.

The European anchovy is very common in the Mediterranean Sea, especially in the Alboran Sea, Aegean Sea, and Black Sea. This species is often caught along the coasts of Crete, Greece, Sicily, Italy, France, Turkey, Northern Iran, Portugal, and Spain. They are also found on the coast of northern Africa. The anchovy can also be found along the Atlantic coast of Europe, as far north as the south of Norway. These fish lay their eggs between October and March, but only when the water is not colder than 12 °C (54 °F). They seem to lay eggs at least 100 kilometres (55 nautical miles) from the shore, near the surface of the water.

Ecology

Anchovies are an important food source for many fish, such as California halibut, rock fish, yellowtail, shark, chinook, and coho salmon. They are also vital for marine mammals and birds. For example, the breeding success of California brown pelicans and elegant terns depends a lot on how many anchovies there are.

Feeding behavior

Anchovies are filter-feeders, similar to herrings and sardines. They open their mouths while swimming, and as water flows through, tiny food particles get caught by special structures in their gills and move into their bodies. This way, they gather food as they move through the water.

Commercial species

* Type species

Fisheries

The FAO tracks how many anchovies are caught around the world each year. The Peruvian anchovy is caught in very large amounts, making it one of the most caught fish in the world.

In 1972, the Peruvian anchovy catch dropped suddenly because of too much fishing and the effects of El Niño. It took many years for the fishery to get back to normal.

Black Sea

In the Black Sea, Turkish fishermen catch about 300,000 tons of anchovies each year, mostly during the winter months, especially in November and December.

As food

Main article: Anchovies as food

Anchovies have been eaten for a very long time. In the past, they were cleaned, salted, and left to cure before being packed in oil or salt. This gives them a strong flavor and turns their flesh a deep grey color. They can also be pickled in vinegar, which keeps the flesh white and makes the flavor milder.

Today, anchovies are used to add flavor to many dishes. Because they taste strong, they are often used in small amounts in sauces and condiments like Worcestershire sauce, caesar salad dressing, remoulade, and Gentleman's Relish. Anchovy fillets are sold in small tins or jars, sometimes mixed with capers, and anchovy paste is also available. Fishermen use anchovies as bait for bigger fish like tuna and sea bass.

Fresh anchovies have a much milder flavor than cured ones. In some places, like Italy, fresh anchovies are popular and can be quite expensive. In Sweden and Finland, what people call "anchovies" is often made from other fish like sprats or herring. In Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, fried anchovies are enjoyed as a snack or side dish.