Scientific Name: Anchoa Mitchilli

Aliases:  Bay Anchovy

The bay anchovy has a slender, silvery-green, translucent body that grows to four inches in length. A silver stripe runs along its sides, has a single dorsal fin on its back and has a forked tail fin.  It is very similar in appearance to spearing but unlike spearing it has a very large mouth.

Bay anchovies aggregate in large schools. Schooling occurs in deep waters during winter and moves into the shallows in warmer months. The bay anchovy is also widely tolerant of salinity and temperature. They feed mostly on plankton

Spawning occurs from May through September, with a peak in July. Females can spawn up to 50 times each season, producing more than 1,000 eggs in each batch.  The species spawns both within estuaries and offshore over the continental shelf.  Growth is rapid and fish reach maturity just a few months. Bay anchovies are believed to live longer than one year, but seldom longer than two years.