Anchovy

Lore & Background

Anchovies are classified into two subfamilies and 16 genera, including the superfamily Engrauloidea with extinct genera such as Clupeopsis and Monosmilus. The earliest known fossil records of anchovy relatives are large predatory stem-anchovies from the early and middle Eocene of the Tethys Ocean, in Belgium and Pakistan. These early relatives had large fangs, leading to the nickname 'saber-toothed anchovies.' The earliest record of a true anchovy is of the stem-engrauline Eoengraulis from the Early Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy. Despite their modern abundance, anchovies are relatively rare in the fossil record, possibly due to their habitat in highly turbid nearshore environments where preservation is unlikely.

Anchovies are small, green fish with blue reflections from a silver-colored longitudinal stripe. They range from 2 to 40 cm in adult length, with more slender fish in northern populations. The snout is blunt with tiny, sharp teeth and contains a unique rostral organ believed to be electro-sensory. The mouth is larger than that of herrings and silversides. Anchovies eat plankton and recently hatched fish. They are filter-feeders, opening their mouths as they swim, sieving food particles with gill rakers.

Anchovies are found in scattered areas throughout the world's oceans, concentrated in temperate waters, and are rare or absent in very cold or very warm seas. They accept a wide range of temperatures and salinity. Large schools can be found in shallow, brackish areas with muddy bottoms, as in estuaries and bays. The European anchovy is abundant in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Alboran Sea, Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, and is regularly caught along the coasts of several European and African countries. Spawning occurs between October and March, not in water colder than 12 °C.

Reader's Guide

Anchovies are significant as a food source for almost every predatory fish in their environment, including California halibut, rock fish, yellowtail, shark, chinook, and coho salmon. They are also extremely important to marine mammals and birds; for example, breeding success of California brown pelicans and elegant terns is strongly connected to anchovy abundance. The Peruvian anchovy fishery is one of the largest in the world, though it collapsed in 1972 due to overfishing and El Niño, not fully recovering for two decades. The Turkish commercial fishing fleet catches around 300,000 tons per year, mainly in winter. Anchovies are processed and preserved by gutting and salting in brine, then packing in oil or salt, resulting in a strong flavor and deep grey flesh. Pickled in vinegar, they are milder and white. In Roman times, anchovies were the base for the fermented fish sauce garum, produced in industrial quantities. Today, they are used in small quantities to flavor many dishes and are an ingredient in sauces such as Worcestershire sauce, caesar salad dressing, and remoulade. In Southeast Asia, they are deep-fried and eaten as a snack or side dish. The strong taste associated with anchovies is due to the curing process; fresh anchovies have a much milder flavor.

Did You Know?

• The earliest known fossil records of anchovy relatives are large predatory stem-anchovies from the early and middle Eocene of the Tethys Ocean.
• Anchovies are filter-feeders that open their mouths as they swim, sieving food particles by gill rakers.
• The Peruvian anchovy fishery collapsed in 1972 due to overfishing and El Niño, not fully recovering for two decades.
• In Roman times, anchovies were the base for the fermented fish sauce garum, produced in industrial quantities.