The elongate ilisha (Ilisha elongata), also known as the Chinese herring (simplified Chinese: 勒鱼; traditional Chinese: 勒魚; pinyin: lèyú, or simply 鳓; 鰳; lè) or slender shad (although not a true herring or 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 45–60 centimetres (18–24 in) in total length. It is an important fishery species.[2][3]
| Elongate ilisha | |
|---|---|
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| Elongate ilisha on sale in a Chinese supermarket | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Clupeiformes |
| Family: | Pristigasteridae |
| Genus: | Ilisha |
| Species: | I. elongata |
| Binomial name | |
| Ilisha elongata Bennett, 1830 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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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.[4]
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 (FAO Fishing Area 61) and almost all of them caught by China.[5] The meat is tasty but has many bones.