Sardines

MORE ABOUT PACIFIC SARDINES (U.S. & Canada)

The silvery Pacific sardine is a coastal fish that lives in large schools, grows to just over 1 foot (30 cm) in length and may live up to 25 years. It is used mainly for fishmeal.

UPDATE

Currently, the Pacific sardine fishery is closed until June 30, 2016 because the population numbers are too low.

Commercial Sources

Pacific sardines are found in the eastern South Pacific, from Peru to Chile, and around the Galapagos Islands.

The main sources of Pacific sardines are Chile and Peru.

Capture Methods

Pacific sardines come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines. Additional types of fishing gear include hooks-and-lines and trawls.

MORE ABOUT EUROPEAN PILCHARD SARDINE (IMPORTED)

Many populations of Atlantic sardines in the Mediterranean are declining due to overfishing and suffer from ineffective fishery management. In the Mediterranean, many of these fisheries’ population size is unknown and those being monitored reveal they are depleted and continue to decline. Management has failed to maintain Atlantic sardine populations, despite the species' inherent resilience to fishing pressure.

MORE ABOUT JAPANESE SARDINELLAS

The Japanese sardinella is a small schooling fish that grows to 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) in length. It is used in Chinese medicine.

Commercial Sources

Japanese sardinella are found in the western North Pacific, from southern Japan to southeast China.

The main source of Japanese sardinella is South Korea.

Capture Methods

Japanese sardinella come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines. Additional types of fishing gear include trawls.

MORE ABOUT ORANGESPOT SARDINES

The orangespot sardine resembles the round sardinella in appearance and lifestyle, also schooling in tropical waters. This silvery fish, which grows to a maximum of 10 inches (25 cm), is an important commercial species in Venezuela and is also used as a bait fish.

Commercial Sources

Orangespot sardines are found in the western Atlantic, from the Gulf of Mexico to northern Uruguay, including the Caribbean.

The main source of orangespot sardines is Brazil.

Capture Methods

Orangespot sardines come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines. Additional types of fishing gear include trawls.

MORE ABOUT SPANISH SARDINES

The round sardinella lives in large schools in subtropical waters. This small silvery fish with faint golden touches grows to 31 cm (1 foot).

Commercial Sources

Spanish sardines are found in Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic, they occur from the Mediterranean and Black Seas to South Africa. In the western Atlantic, they range from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to Argentina, including the Caribbean.

The main sources of Spanish sardines are Venezuela and Senegal, followed by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Ghana.

Capture Methods

Spanish sardines come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines. Additional types of fishing gear include cast nets, gillnets and trawls.