Ilisha elongata

The elongate ilisha, also known as the Chinese herring or slender shad, is a species of longfin herring native to the coastal waters and estuaries of North Indian Ocean and Northwest Pacific. It is a relatively large species, up to in total length. It is an important fishery species.

Life history

In the northern part of its range, Ilisha elongata matures at age of 2 years and has a lifespan of about 6 years; in the warmer parts of its range, it matures under age 1 year and has a lifespan of about 3 years. It can spawn several batches of eggs.

Fisheries and use

The species is commercially fished. Based on the FAO fishery statistics, the annual catches ranged between 80,400 and 98,700 tonnes in 2000–2009, all of them from the Northwest Pacific and almost all of them caught by China. The meat is tasty but has many bones.