Species profile
Pacific Sand Lance
Ammodytes personatus
At a glance
Pacific Sand Lance (Ammodytes personatus) is a bony-fish species regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 5 per angler across the 2 regulating jurisdictions.
Confirmed by 1,310 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Reaches only about 6–8 inches long but is among the most important forage fish in the North Pacific.
- Burrows into sandy or gravelly seafloor to escape predators and to ride out winter months.
- Forms massive schools pursued by salmon, halibut, humpback whales, and diving seabirds.
- Its high fat content makes it an exceptionally energy-rich meal for marine predators.
- Ranges from California to Alaska and across the North Pacific to Japan.
Where Pacific Sand Lance are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Pacific Sand Lance
Background
Pacific Sand Lance. To at least 27.4 cm (10.9 in) SL (Orr et al. 2015). Norton Sound, eastern Bering Sea to Attu Island, Aleutian Islands, to Balboa Island, southern California; May range to Sea of Okhotsk (Orr et al. 2015). Near surface to fairly shallow depths and also bury in substrate; depth: intertidal to 272 m (892 ft) (min.: Eschmeyer and Herald 1983; max.: DFO).
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Pacific Sand Lance 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.