Alewife are native to the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from Newfoundland to North Carolina, and have also been introduced into the Great Lakes. They are anadromous, meaning they migrate from the ocean into freshwater rivers and lakes to spawn, although some populations live entirely in freshwater. Alewife prefer coastal marine waters, estuaries, and freshwater systems during spawning season. Their diet consists mainly of zooplankton, small crustaceans, and fish larvae. Alewife commonly grow to about 20–30 cm (8–12 in) in length. Key identifiers include their slender, silvery body, deeply forked tail, and a single dark spot behind the gill cover. Alewives play an important ecological role as forage fish for larger predators such as salmon and striped bass. They are not usually targeted by recreational anglers but are often caught using small nets or as bycatch. Source: FishBase (https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Alosa-pseudoharengus.html)