Blueback Shad
Encyclopedia
Blueback Shad is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Alosa. These fish are silvery in color, have a series of scutes (modified scales that are spiny and keeled) along their belly, and are characterized by deep bluish green backs. The most distinguishing characteristic of this species is the black to dusky in color of its peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity). Blueback herring and alewives are difficult to distinguish from one another and are often regarded collectively as river herring. Alewives have larger eyes, greater body depth, and pearly to white peritoneal linings.
Size: 40 centimeters.
Native Range: Atlantic Coast from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, to the St. Johns River, Florida. Ascends coastal rivers during spawning season.
Nonindigenous Occurrences: Blueback herring was first collected in Lake Ontario in 1995. It has been collected from the Tennessee River in Georgia and Tennessee; Oneida Lake, the Oswego River in Minetto, Lake Champlain, and New York. In North Carolina, blueback herring were introduced into the Savannah, Broad, and Yadkin drainages, and into nonnative areas of the Cape Fear and Roanoke drainages. It has been introduced to an unspecified location in the Chesapeake Bay basin in Pennsylvania. Blueback herring have been collected in Lake Jocassee, Lake Keowee, Picalet River, Broad River, and Lake Murray in South Carolina. Stock obtained from the Cooper River, South Carolina was released in Texas by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Lake Theo, Briscoe County, and at an unidentified research site in north Texas in 1982 (and in the upper Red River drainage). Blueback herring have been collected from Lake Champlain, Vermont. Blueback herring have been stocked in several inland reservoirs in Virginia, including Smith Mountain Lake, Occoquan Reservoir, Kerr Reservoir, and lakes Anna, Brittle, and Chesdin. It is established as a species in Texas, New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.
Ecology: Anadromous; living in marine systems and spawning in deep, swift freshwater with a hard substrate. Migrate to spawning grounds in the spring. In Connecticut, blueback herring spawn in 14-7oC temperatures. Usually spawns later in the spring than the alewife, when water temperatures are a bit warmer. During spawning, many eggs are deposited over the stream bottom where they stick to gravel, stones, logs, or other objects. Juveniles spend 3-7 mThonths in fresh water, then migrate to the ocean. Blueback herring are a planktivorous forage species.
Size: 40 centimeters.
Native Range: Atlantic Coast from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, to the St. Johns River, Florida. Ascends coastal rivers during spawning season.
Nonindigenous Occurrences: Blueback herring was first collected in Lake Ontario in 1995. It has been collected from the Tennessee River in Georgia and Tennessee; Oneida Lake, the Oswego River in Minetto, Lake Champlain, and New York. In North Carolina, blueback herring were introduced into the Savannah, Broad, and Yadkin drainages, and into nonnative areas of the Cape Fear and Roanoke drainages. It has been introduced to an unspecified location in the Chesapeake Bay basin in Pennsylvania. Blueback herring have been collected in Lake Jocassee, Lake Keowee, Picalet River, Broad River, and Lake Murray in South Carolina. Stock obtained from the Cooper River, South Carolina was released in Texas by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Lake Theo, Briscoe County, and at an unidentified research site in north Texas in 1982 (and in the upper Red River drainage). Blueback herring have been collected from Lake Champlain, Vermont. Blueback herring have been stocked in several inland reservoirs in Virginia, including Smith Mountain Lake, Occoquan Reservoir, Kerr Reservoir, and lakes Anna, Brittle, and Chesdin. It is established as a species in Texas, New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.
Ecology: Anadromous; living in marine systems and spawning in deep, swift freshwater with a hard substrate. Migrate to spawning grounds in the spring. In Connecticut, blueback herring spawn in 14-7oC temperatures. Usually spawns later in the spring than the alewife, when water temperatures are a bit warmer. During spawning, many eggs are deposited over the stream bottom where they stick to gravel, stones, logs, or other objects. Juveniles spend 3-7 mThonths in fresh water, then migrate to the ocean. Blueback herring are a planktivorous forage species.