Clupeidae

Herring

Herring is one of the most widespread and numerous commercial fish of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. It may grow up to 39 cm and weight of 460-675 g. The species is divided into a range of small and big schools. Thus, Kamchatka coastal waters are a habitat for Gizhiga-Kamchatka (western coast) and Korpha-Karaga (north-eastern coast) schools. Environmental features offer another classification: sea and lake herrings. The latter live in some salty lakes of east Kamchatka (e.g., Nerpichye Lake). Lake herrings have a shorter lifecycle, small size and low weight, they reach pubescence earlier and spawn in freshened waters (gulfs, lagoons connected with the sea), live near the coast and never migrate long distances.
The sea herring spawns in spring and summer in the coastal waters 8-10 meters from the shoreline. Sticky roe is laid on sea vegetation, or sometimes of the stone-like substrate.