Shad is an important food fish of the herring family. The American shad lives in the sea from Newfoundland to Florida. The United States Bureau of Fisheries, a forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, introduced the fish into the Pacific Ocean.
The shad goes up freshwater rivers to spawn. At that time, large numbers of shad are caught in nets. Shad average about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) and are about 2 feet (61 centimeters) long. They are bluish above and have silvery sides.
Shad fisheries, which operate only at spawning time,have been greatly overworked, especially those of the East Coast rivers. So-called “Potomac shad” is shipped from the Pacific Coast to eastern markets. Most shad are eaten fresh, but a few are smoked or salted. Their eggs provide the best substitute for the roe (eggs) of sturgeon used in making caviar.
