araucanian herring
Strangomera bentincki
Chilean sardine, forming coastal surface schools, feeding on plankton and caught on a large scale, mainly for fishmeal.
Also called: sardinha-araucana, sardina común, sardina del sur, araucanian herring
- maximum
- 28 cm
- depth
- 0–70 m
who is the araucanian herring
A sardine of the family Clupeidae, from the southeastern Pacific, occurring in Chile, from Coquimbo to Talcahuano, in coastal waters down to 70 m. It reaches 28 cm and forms schools at or near the surface. It feeds on plankton, mainly diatoms, which it filters from the water. Spawning mainly takes place from June to November, and eggs and larvae live in the plankton. It is of high commercial importance, and its main use is fishmeal.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the araucanian herring; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Spindle-shaped sardine, dark blue on the back and silvery white on the belly, with translucent fins. The belly is not strongly keeled. It can be confused with other sardines of the southern Pacific; to tell them apart, look at the location, since it lives in central and southern Chile, from Coquimbo to Talcahuano. The Pacific savelha (Ethmidium maculatum), from the same coast, has a dark spot behind the gill cover.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Chile, in the southeastern Pacific, from Coquimbo to Talcahuano, in coastal waters.
Habitat: Coastal waters, at or near the surface, 0 to 70 m.
rules for the araucanian herring
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No recorded danger to anglers. A schooling fish with delicate skin and scales: handle it with a wet hand and return it to the water if you won't use it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00589, b = 3.11; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Strangomera bentincki (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Strangomera bentinckiNames by country and language.
