Northern Anchovy
Engraulis mordax
Also known as Anchovy, North Pacific anchovy, California anchovy
Culinary Profile
Canned or salted anchovies have a pronounced, salty tang, and fresh anchovies have a rich but subtle taste and a soft texture.
Unprocessed anchovies have soft flesh but canned meat is firm.
Anchovies are high in calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, and selenium but are also high in cholesterol.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Northern anchovies are small, compressed fish with long snouts that overhang a large mouth. They are bluish-green above and silvery below, and adults have a faint silver stripe on the side.
Biology
Northern anchovies grow quickly, up to about 7 inches. They have a short life cycle; they are able to spawn after 2 years and rarely live longer than 4 years. They have high natural mortality; each year 45 to 55 percent of the total stock would die of natural causes if no fishing occurred. Northern anchovies spawn throughout the year, with peak activity from February to April.
Where They Live
Range Northern anchovies are found from British Columbia to Baja California and in the Gulf of California. Northern anchovies are divided into two sub-populations in the United States: The northern sub-population is found off Oregon and Washington. The central sub-population ranges from California to Baja California, Mexico. Habitat Anchovies form large, dense schools near the ocean surface.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
Wild-caught off Washington, Oregon, and California.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
In 2024, commercial landings of northern anchovy totaled almost 10 million pounds and were valued at approximately $700,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Northern anchovies are generally harvested in the United States with round haul gear. Northern anchovies have been fished off the West Coast since at least 1916. The fishery was small until the Pacific sardine fishery collapsed in the 1940s and 1950s. Processors began canning anchovies instead of sardines, and fishermen started harvesting more anchovies. Consumer demand for anchovies decreased after the sardine population recovered, and the commercial fishery for northern anchovies gradually declined.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 111 Species
Where Northern Anchovy ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.25 mg | 4 / 111 | 96% |
| Omega-3 EPA | 538 mg | 6 / 104 | 94% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 911 mg | 7 / 104 | 93% |
| Zinc | 1.72 mg | 9 / 111 | 92% |
| Protein | 20.35 g | 26 / 111 | 77% |
| Selenium | 36.5 µg | 32 / 106 | 70% |
| Phosphorus | 174 mg | 94 / 111 | 15% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.62 µg | 99 / 106 | 7% |
Other West Coast Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Northern Anchovy.
California Market Squid
Doryteuthis (Loligo) opalescens
Mild, and subtly sweet.
Lingcod
Ophiodon elongatus
A mild-tasting fish.
Pacific Mackerel
Scomber japonicus
Rich with a pronounced flavor.
Pacific Sardine
Sardinops sagax caerulea
When fresh, small sardines have a delicate flavor. Larger sardines have a fuller, oilier flavor, similar to anchovies bu…
Pacific Whiting
Mercluccius productus
Mild and slightly sweet.
Widow Rockfish
Sebastes entomelas
Delicate, nutty flavor.
Similar by Flavour: Other Rich-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the rich flavour profile of Northern Anchovy, these other species in the catalogue will feel familiar on the palate.
Almaco Jack
Seriola rivoliana
Almaco jack has a clean, sweet, rich, slightly nutty, buttery flavor.
Atlantic Chub Mackerel
Scomber colias
Rich, pronounced flavor.
Atlantic Mackerel
Scomber scombrus
Mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark meat along the midline.
Atlantic Salmon
Salmo salar
Buttery, rich taste.
Atlantic Sea Scallop
Placopecten magellanicus
Sea scallops have a sweet, rich taste that can be mild or briny.
Bluefish
Pomatomus saltatrix
Rich, full flavor. The larger the fish, the more pronounced the taste. A strong-flavored, dark strip of meat on the fillet may be removed be…
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northern Anchovy a good source of omega-3 fatty acids?
Per 100 g raw, Northern Anchovy supplies 538 mg of EPA and 911 mg of DHA — the two long-chain omega-3s most cited in cardiovascular research.
How big does Northern Anchovy get?
grow quickly, up to about 7 inches.
Where is Northern Anchovy found?
Range Northern anchovies are found from British Columbia to Baja California and in the Gulf of California. Northern anchovies are divided into two sub-populations in the United States: The northern sub-population is found off Oregon and Washington. The central sub-population ranges from California to Baja California, Mexico. Habitat Anchovies form large, dense schools near the ocean surface.
Who manages the Northern Anchovy fishery?
NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery. Northern anchovy is managed under the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan : Monitored through landings data. If landings increase significantly, or exceed the annual catch limit, then managers may make management changes. Limits on the number and capacity of vessels in the fishery.
Sustainability Story
Stock Structure
There are two stocks of northern anchovy: A northern and a southern stock. Formal stock assessments are not conducted for either stocks, but data is collected to help monitor the populations, including ship-based surveys that have been completed annually since 2016. The northern subpopulation has never been formally assessed, but is thought to be abundant.
Population
The population levels of the northern and southern stocks are unknown, but management measures are in place.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
The gear used to catch northern anchovies is used at the surface and has little impact on habitat.
Bycatch
Bycatch is low because the gear is selective.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery. Northern anchovy is managed under the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan : Monitored through landings data. If landings increase significantly, or exceed the annual catch limit, then managers may make management changes. Limits on the number and capacity of vessels in the fishery.
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 19 values
Energy
Macronutrients
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamins
Minerals
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). %DV is percent of 2,000-kcal daily value for adults.
calendar_month Harvest Season
Frozen available year-round.