Anchovy
Small, oily forage fish found in oceans and some rivers worldwide.
Anchovies are small, schooling fish of the family Engraulidae. They live in temperate marine waters globally and serve as a vital food source for larger predators. Humans harvest them extensively for food and oil.
- Over 140 species exist within 16 genera.
- Ancient relatives had large fangs and were called saber-toothed.
- The Peruvian anchovy fishery collapsed in 1972 due to overfishing and El Niño.
- They are filter-feeders that sieve plankton while swimming.
- Fresh anchovies have a mild taste compared to cured ones.
What it is
Anchovies are small, greenish fish with blue reflections and a silver stripe along their sides. Adults typically measure between two and forty centimetres. Their bodies vary in shape, with northern populations often being more slender. They possess a blunt snout containing tiny teeth and a unique electro-sensory organ. These fish closely resemble herrings and silversides but have larger mouths.
Where it lives
These fish inhabit scattered areas across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Black and Mediterranean Seas. They prefer temperate waters and avoid extremes of cold or heat. Large schools gather in shallow, brackish estuaries with muddy bottoms. The European anchovy is abundant in the Mediterranean, particularly around Crete, Sicily, and Turkey, extending north to Norway.
How it lives
Anchovies are filter-feeders that swim with open mouths to sieve plankton and young fish using gill rakers. They form massive schools and serve as a primary food source for predatory fish, sharks, marine mammals, and seabirds. Breeding success for species like brown pelicans depends heavily on anchovy abundance. They tolerate wide ranges of temperature and salinity.
Breeding and life cycle
European anchovies spawn between October and March in water warmer than twelve degrees Celsius. Reproduction occurs near the water surface, usually more than one hundred kilometres from the coast.
Fish and people
Humans process anchovies by gutting, salting, and curing them in brine or oil, which creates a strong flavour. Fresh anchovies taste milder. They are key ingredients in sauces like Worcestershire and Caesar dressing. In Southeast Asia, they are deep-fried as snacks. Historically, Romans used them to make garum, a fermented fish sauce. Turkey and Peru run major commercial fisheries for these fish.
Questions people ask about Anchovy
What do anchovies eat?
Anchovies are filter-feeders that swim with their mouths open. Water passes through their gills, where gill rakers sieve out plankton and recently hatched fish. This method allows them to feed efficiently in large schools.
Are all anchovies saltwater fish?
Most species live in marine waters, but several enter brackish water. Some species in South America are restricted to fresh water entirely. They generally accept a wide range of temperatures and salinity levels.
How are anchovies processed for food?
Traditional processing involves gutting and salting them in brine before curing. They are then packed in oil or salt, resulting in a strong flavour and grey flesh. Pickling in vinegar produces a milder product with white flesh.
Why did the Peruvian anchovy fishery collapse?
The fishery collapsed catastrophically in 1972. This was caused by the combined effects of overfishing and the El Niño weather phenomenon. It took two decades for the population to fully recover.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Anchovy", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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