Species and Habitat Outlines

Pacific Herring
TAXONOMY

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Clupeidae

 

ECOLOGICAL DATA

Distribution: B.C. coast is the center of abundance of Pacific herring for North America.

Habitat: mature adults leave offshore feeding grounds off mouth of Juan de Fuca Strait in south and in Hecate Strait in north, during Oct-Dec and migrate to inshore spawning areas; remain inshore in deep channels and bays near spawning areas to complete maturation; spawning peaks in Mar in south coast, late Mar to mid-Apr in north coast and Queen Charlotte Islands; very early and late spawners are resident inshore stocks; spawn on intertidal and subtidal vegetation, including filamentous and branching red algae, sea grasses, rockweed kelp,and other brown algae; eggs adhere to vegetation and fertilized externally; eggs hatch simultaneously in 10-21 days; 9 mm larvae live on yolk sac for about 6 d and then feed on plankton; currents tend to concentrate larvae in the surface layer near shore; juveniles undergo diel migrations, deep during day and shallow during darkness; during summer form large schools in protected waters of bays and inlets near spawning areas; in Sep gradually move seaward to feeding grounds, depth 150-200 m; immatures (2nd yr) tend to intermingle with juveniles and adults, depth of 100-150 m; adults in same offshore feeding grounds, depth 100-150 m; return to feed in Apr and May after spawning; some small resident populations remain inshore near spawning areas all year.

Tidal elevation: spawn from high tide to 20 m subtidal depth, and generally within a 150 m wide strip.

Food:larvae feed on invertebrate eggs, copepods, diatoms; feed on larger zooplanton as they grow; adults eat larger forms of crustaceans and small fish; cease feeding during winter prior to spawning; adults also may filter feed when other food is unavailable.

Predators: gulls and diving ducks eat eggs; pilchards, ctenophores and jelly fish prey on larvae; gulls, diving ducks, fishes and marine mammals prey on adults, especially during spawning.

 

GROWTH RATE

Larvae are 9-25 mm; juveniles range from 25-100 mm at end of 1st year; sexually mature 3 yr, 180 mm; most adults 175-250 mm and 3-6 yr; maximum size age is 340 mm at 15 yr.

FISHERY

Valuable commercial fishery (2nd only to salmon), 16,341 t valued at $40 million, and spawn on kelp of 150 t valued at $6.4 million in 1986; native fishery and bait fishery for salmon sport fishing.

REFERENCES

Anon. 1983. The Pacific herring. Underwater World, Dep. Fish. Oceans Can., Ottawa: 6 p.

Haegele, C.W., and J.F. Schweigert. 1985. Distribution and characteristics of herring spawning grounds and description of spawning behavior. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42 (Suppl. 1): 39-55.

Hart, J.L. 1973. Pacific fishes of Canada. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 180: 96-100.

Hay, D.E. 1985. Reproductive biology of Pacific herring (Clupea harangus pallasi). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42 (Suppl. 1): 111-126.

Hourston, A.S., and C.W. Haegele. 1980. Herring on Canada's Pacific coast. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 48: 23 p.

Humphreys, R.D., and A.S. Hourston. 1978. British Columbia herring spawn deposition survey manual. Fish. Mar. Serv. Misc. Spec. Publ. 38: 40 p.

 

For more information on pacific herring habitat utilization and life cycle - click here

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