The anchovy is a small, pelagic, migratory and gregarious fish. It lives in deep water throughout the year in huge shoals that can sometimes include other species, such as sardine and sprat, except for the reproductive period, when it approaches the coast. It is present along the European coasts of the eastern Atlantic and as far south as South Africa, and throughout the Mediterranean, including the Black Sea. Specimens have even been found in the Suez Canal and in the Gulf of Suez. The anchovy’s tapering body is moderately compressed and has a pointed head and relatively large eyes. The mouth is very big and the mandible is shorter than the jaw. It feeds on small crustaceans, molluscs and larvae plankton, including vegetable plankton. When alive, the anchovy is greenish-blue on the dorsal side, with a whitish-silver belly, while the dorsal side turns dark blue after it has been caught. It reproduces from April to September, reaching a peak of activity between July and August. Fertilization is external and the eggs (each female producing up 40,000) are laid close to shore during the night from April to September. It can reach a maximum length of 20 cm as an adult, but more commonly found around 12 cm. It is mainly caught using the lamp and surrounding net technique. Minimum length is 9 cm.