What is a Sardine?
The sardine, or pilchard, is an ocean going fish well known for traveling in large groups, or schools. The sardine is related to the herring, and sometimes canned fish labeled as sardine is actually herring. The sardine is widely fished in the Pacific and Atlantic, and popular both preserved and fresh in a wide variety of cuisines. While sardines are not considered to be a fish species at risk, careful monitoring of sardine fisheries has been recommended to prevent overfishing and potential collapse. The sardine is a small, silvery fish with a protruding snout and large mouth. Sardine species can be found in northern and southern waters, and favor estuaries or inter-tidal zones. The sardine eats plankton and small fish larva, and forms an important part of the marine food chain because they are in turn eaten by larger species. In addition to being eaten by other fish, sardines form a substantial part of the diet of many aquatic birds such as pelicans. The sardine has dark, oily flesh w
