Hickory shad Hickory shad Hickory shad ("Alosa mediocris") is a member of the herring family Clupeidae, ranging along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to the Gulf of Maine. It is an anadromous fish species, meaning that it spawns in freshwater portions of rivers but spends most of its life at sea. It is subject to fishing, both historic and current, but it is often confused with or simply grouped together with catch statistics for American shad ("Alosa sapidissima"). Hickory shad ranges from northern Florida to the Gulf of Maine. The largest populations occur in Chesapeake Bay and coastal
Alosa sources, predators, etc. Since many adult "Alosa" species die after spawning, the young generally have to migrate to the sea from the spawning grounds. Duration of migration varies among fish, but it can greatly affect survival. Reproduction varies by species. Studies done on "Alosa" in Iranian waters have shown that spawning varies in time, place, and temperature of the waters they inhabit. Fecundity may also vary. Species are known to spawn as early as April or as late as August. Temperatures range from about 11 to 27 °C. Fecundity can range from 20,000 to 312,000 eggs. Eggs are pelagic. The