Pacific sardine – State Wildlife Action Plan

Pacific sardine are small, blue-green fish that grow quickly and reach lengths of about 12 inches. They have white flanks with one to three sets of dark spots along their sides. While they can live to 13 years, most do not live more than 5 years. They mature at 1 to 2 years of age and can spawn multiple times per season. They are broadcast spawners, releasing sperm and eggs into the water. Eggs hatch within about 3 days. Pacific sardines live in the water column and feed on plankton. They can be found in nearshore water and estuaries, but also well out to sea. They are prey for many seabirds, fishes and marine mammals. Those found off Oregon are thought to be part of the northern subpopulation. Sardine are known to go through boom and bust cycles with evidence of that occurring for more than 1,700 years. Pacific sardine have been the target of commercial fisheries for more than a 100 years. Currently, their population is at low levels. It also appears that they may have shifted their distribution in recent years. The mechanisms that drive population swings are not clearly understood.

Overview

Species Common Name Pacific sardine
Species Scientific Name Sardinops sajax

Ecoregions

Nearshore

The Nearshore ecoregion includes a variety of habitats ranging from submerged high-relief rocky reefs to broad expanses of intertidal mudflats in estuaries and hosts a vast array of fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, birds, plants, and micro-organisms. This ecoregion encompasses the area from the outer boundary of Oregon's Territorial Sea to the supra-tidal zone, and up into the estuaries.

Special needs

Productive ocean conditions with abundant prey species.

Limiting factors

Changes in ocean productivity, currents and water masses may affect their abundance and distribution. Changes in prey abundance and species may affect population size. Habitat loss or alteration.

Data gaps

Numerous theories have been proposed for boom and bust cycles, but the drivers and mechanisms of population fluctuations are still poorly understood. Stock structure for this species is still under investigation even though a three subpopulation structure has long been generally accepted: the northern, southern, and Gulf of California subpopulations.

Conservation actions

Manage for sustainable harvest. Only minimal catch for Pacific sardine are allowed along the west coast as the stock recovers.

Key reference or plan

Coastal Pelagic Species Management Plan. Read here