sandvicensis) feed on it. This species is an important link in the food web in many ecosystems. It is a major pathway by which zooplankton biomass is converted to the biomass of larger fish. The bay anchovy is sexually mature when it reaches about 4 centimeters in length. It spawns in the water column in shallow and deeper waters. In the southern part of its range it spawns year-round, and farther north it breeds during the warmer months. A female can spawn 50 times in one season, producing over 1000 eggs each time. Eggs hatch in 24 hours. Larvae mature in about 45 days. Their growth rates are variable and may depend on the availability of food. Human uses This species is made into anchovy paste and is used as a bait fish. It is harvested as a rough fish and used for fish oil and fish paste. Conservation This fish is not of conservation concern. It has an extensive range, a large and stable population made up of many subpopulations, and no major threats. References Further reading Jung, S. and E. D. Houde. 2004. Recruitment and spawning-stock biomass distribution of bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) in Chesapeake Bay. Fishery Bulletin 102(1) 63-77. North, E. W. and E. D. Houde. 2004. Distribution and transport of bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) eggs and larvae in Chesapeake Bay. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60(3), 409-29. Peebles, E. B., J. R. Hall, and S. B. Tolley. 1996. [https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/131/m131p061.pdf Egg production by the bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli in relation to adult and larval prey fields.] Marine Ecology Progress Series 134 61-73. Scharf, F. S., J. A. Buckel, and F. Juanes. 2002. Size-dependent vulnerability of juvenile bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli to bluefish predation: Does large body size always provide a refuge? Marine Ecology Progress Series 233 241-52. Schultz, E. T., et al. 2000. Explaining advection: do larval bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) show selective tidal-stream transport? ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil'' 57(2), 360-71. mitchilli Fish described in 1848 Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes