Depth
Engraulis · Bony Fish

European Anchovy

Engraulis encrasicolus

0-200m
Depth Range
20cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-200m
Depth Range
20cm
Max Size
Pelagic / Coastal
Habitat
Planktivore
Diet
Large schools
Social
LC
IUCN Status
High
Sighting Likelihood
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
GenusEngraulis
Speciesencrasicolus

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationSmall, slender, silvery fish with a blue-green back. Undershot lower jaw gives a distinctive head profile. Single short dorsal fin set midway along the body. A silver stripe runs along each flank.
  • SizeUp to 20 cm total length, commonly 12 to 15 cm.
  • Social HabitExtremely gregarious, forming enormous schools that can number in the millions. Schools move as a coordinated unit to confuse predators.
  • HabitatPelagic in coastal waters, estuaries, and lagoons. Found near the surface, often in areas of high plankton productivity.
  • DepthSurface to 150 m, most common in the upper 50 m.
  • Feeds OnPhytoplankton and zooplankton filtered from the water using modified gill rakers.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Norway to South Africa and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
  • DescriptionOne of the most ecologically and commercially important fish in the Mediterranean. European anchovy schools form the base of the food web, supporting populations of tuna, dolphins, seabirds, and many other predators. Their enormous numbers and schooling behaviour create some of the most dramatic underwater spectacles a diver can witness.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found throughout the Mediterranean in coastal and offshore pelagic waters, often forming dense schools near the surface. Migrates seasonally, moving inshore to spawn in warmer months and retreating to deeper water in winter.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Surface to mid-water in coastal zones, bays, estuaries, and over the continental shelf. Most abundant in productive waters with high plankton concentrations.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

European Anchovy species card

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Engraulis encrasicolus may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red ListLeast Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
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