Species profile
American Shad
Alosa sapidissima
At a glance
American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 26 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (New Jersey); the most generous is 500 (Texas).
Across 3 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 23.3 in (≈ 1 ft 11 in).
Confirmed by 407 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Oregon, and Massachusetts the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Its Latin name "sapidissima" means "most savory," honoring its long culinary history.
- Adults typically weigh 3–8 pounds and reach up to 30 inches long.
- Anadromous — spawns in freshwater rivers but spends most of its life at sea.
- Atlantic coast shad often survive spawning and return to the ocean; Pacific populations die after.
- Shad runs helped sustain Washington's troops at Valley Forge in 1778.
Where American Shad are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for American Shad
Background
The American shad (Alosa sapidissima), is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's American Shad article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.