Skipjack Shad

The Skipjack Shad (Alosa chrysochloris) is a migratory North American species of freshwater fish of the subgenus Pomolobus (Faria et al. 2006) in the Clupeidae family. The name Skipjack Shad comes from the fact that it is commonly seen leaping out of the water while feeding (Whitehead 1985). Other common names include blue herring, golden shad, river shad, Tennessee tarpon, and McKinley shad. The Skipjack Shad is restricted to the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins. It has been found to be the most basal of the Alosa species (Bowen et al.). Skipjack Shad are found in clear to moderately turbid water in areas with flow. Because they are a migratory species, dams often impede their reproduction. Records suggest that this species was much more abundant in the Upper Mississippi River basin before it was impounded. Currently, the Skipjack Shad is most abundant in the Upper Mississippi River below the mouth of the Ohio River. They are known as an “early-run” species as they migrate to spawn in the early spring (Neebling and Quist 2008).