Synonyms
Caspialosa pontica Eichwald, 1838
Clupea eichwaldi Grimm, 1901
Alosa pontica Antipa, 1906
Caspialosa pontica hypselocephala Isachenko, 1925
Alosa kessleri pontica Svetovidov, 1952
Alosa (Caspialosa) pontica Banarascu 1964
Distribution A Ponto-Caspian relic, this fish is often encountered in the western
part of the Black Sea. For spawning, it migrates into the Danube and Dniester. The
specimens east of the Dniester, which go up the Dnieper for spawning, are considered by Pavlov (1953) a distinct geographical breed (Alosa pontica borysthenis), a
little studied subspecies, similarly to the specimens in the Azov Sea and Don river
(Navodaru and Maximov 2014). Pontic shads winter at great distances from the
shore.
Sizes Maximum 50 cm; common 15–34 cm.
Biology and Ecology Marine gregarious species, the Pontic shad performs long
migrations (currently up to the Iron Gates II Dam on the Danube) (Radu et al.
2011), winters in the sea and spawns in rivers. It spends winters at great distances
from the shore, off Ukrainian coasts. The spawning migration occurs from south to
north, along the Bulgarian and Romanian coasts, up to the Danube mouth, and
going up the river. Migration starts in spring (late February, early March), at water
temperatures of 4–5
C, reaching the peak in April (at 9–13
C) and sometimes last
until August (22
C). Spawning takes place in the Danube, upstream of km
180 (between Calarasi and Braila, but shads can reach up to the Iron Gates II
Dam). After spawning, adult Pontic shads return to the sea, at relatively great depth,
beyond 55 m. The newly hatched fingerlings flow with the stream towards the sea,
remaining for a long time off the river mouth. Pontic shad mainly feeds on fish,
which make up to 70–75% of its diet (anchovies, other shads, sprat – in the sea, and
Cyprinids – in rivers). The rest comprises crustaceans – Crangon, Upogebia,
Idothea – and gammarids (Zaharia et al. 2013).
Fishery Pontic shad is fished using pound nets, shad gillnets and beach seines
(Radu et al. 2011).
Commercial Importance High value as food source, with very tasty meat. Pontic
shad is marketed fresh, salted, smoked and canned (Navodaru and Maximov 2014).
446
C.G. Nicolae et al.
Caspialosa pontica Eichwald, 1838
Clupea eichwaldi Grimm, 1901
Alosa pontica Antipa, 1906
Caspialosa pontica hypselocephala Isachenko, 1925
Alosa kessleri pontica Svetovidov, 1952
Alosa (Caspialosa) pontica Banarascu 1964
Distribution A Ponto-Caspian relic, this fish is often encountered in the western
part of the Black Sea. For spawning, it migrates into the Danube and Dniester. The
specimens east of the Dniester, which go up the Dnieper for spawning, are considered by Pavlov (1953) a distinct geographical breed (Alosa pontica borysthenis), a
little studied subspecies, similarly to the specimens in the Azov Sea and Don river
(Navodaru and Maximov 2014). Pontic shads winter at great distances from the
shore.
Sizes Maximum 50 cm; common 15–34 cm.
Biology and Ecology Marine gregarious species, the Pontic shad performs long
migrations (currently up to the Iron Gates II Dam on the Danube) (Radu et al.
2011), winters in the sea and spawns in rivers. It spends winters at great distances
from the shore, off Ukrainian coasts. The spawning migration occurs from south to
north, along the Bulgarian and Romanian coasts, up to the Danube mouth, and
going up the river. Migration starts in spring (late February, early March), at water
temperatures of 4–5
C, reaching the peak in April (at 9–13
C) and sometimes last
until August (22
C). Spawning takes place in the Danube, upstream of km
180 (between Calarasi and Braila, but shads can reach up to the Iron Gates II
Dam). After spawning, adult Pontic shads return to the sea, at relatively great depth,
beyond 55 m. The newly hatched fingerlings flow with the stream towards the sea,
remaining for a long time off the river mouth. Pontic shad mainly feeds on fish,
which make up to 70–75% of its diet (anchovies, other shads, sprat – in the sea, and
Cyprinids – in rivers). The rest comprises crustaceans – Crangon, Upogebia,
Idothea – and gammarids (Zaharia et al. 2013).
Fishery Pontic shad is fished using pound nets, shad gillnets and beach seines
(Radu et al. 2011).
Commercial Importance High value as food source, with very tasty meat. Pontic
shad is marketed fresh, salted, smoked and canned (Navodaru and Maximov 2014).
446
C.G. Nicolae et al.