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fishing forecast

broadband anchovy

Anchoviella lepidentostole · Engraulidae · forage fish

EstuarySeaessential profile

A schooling coastal anchovy that enters estuaries and rivers, from Venezuela to the coast of Paraná. It has little commercial importance and is almost never caught on rod and reel.

Also called: manjuba, sardinha, camiguana, broadband anchovy

Scientific illustration of Broadband anchovy
maximum
18 cm
record/max.
0.0 kg
depth
1–50 m
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the broadband anchovy

overview

who is the broadband anchovy

A fish of the family Engraulidae, the anchovies. It reaches 18 cm and forms schools near the coast, in lagoons and estuaries. It lives in shallow water, 1 to 50 m, and feeds on crustacean larvae and small invertebrates. It spawns in schools. It occurs from the Orinoco delta in Venezuela, and from Trinidad and Tobago and the Guianas to the coast of Paraná, Brazil. Fishing for it has little commercial importance, and the species rarely shows up for rod anglers.

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 broadband anchovy; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • It is probably anadromous, entering estuaries and fresh water.
  • Adults have a lot of fat between the muscles and in the viscera.
how to recognize it

identification

A moderately elongated and compressed body, with a broad silver flank stripe, eye-sized or larger, located below the dorsal fin. The anal fin is relatively long and begins below the middle of the dorsal fin base. It resembles the bent-mouth anchovy (Anchovia clupeoides), but that species' stripe fades with age, which helps tell them apart. It also resembles the xangô (Cetengraulis edentulus), which has dark spots on the head.

distribution

where found

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It lives from the Orinoco delta in Venezuela to Trinidad and the Guianas, and also in Brazil, as far as the coast of Paraná.

Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, 1 to 50 m, in estuaries, lagoons and sometimes fresh water.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastal
what the law says

rules for the broadband anchovy

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

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.

It has no spines or venom and poses no danger to people.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00537, b = 3.14; 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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Anchoviella lepidentostole (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Anchoviella lepidentostoleNames by country and language.
  3. official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
don't confuse

similar species