Twaite or Allis shad?

[macky1]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/fizzgog/Shad.jpg

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Found these two links may help

 

http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/fish-shad.htm

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Alosa_fallax.png#file

[H.A.]

There must've been a few of 'em about today!!!!!

 

South Parade Pier, Southsea, Hants.

 

Nice day ... 14 mackies on the float and 'Southend Rig'; 1 pollack, 2 bream and Allis!

 

 

Like I said on the other Forum, Macky: no way to tell without a gill raker count. Twaite shad have only 40-60 gill-rakers (comb-like structures that are used to filter zooplankton) on the first gill arch, whereas Allis shad have 90-130.

Twaite's are found up the rivers (fairly prolific in R Dee) in Wales and are a protected species -

Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), (amended April 1998)

Most open-sea/coastal catches tend to be Allis.

 

Both species are protected by Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annexes II and V of the EC Habitats Directive. It is an offence to intentionally obstruct access to spawning areas, or to damage or destroy gravels used for spawning.

 

Edited September 3, 2007 by H.A.

[macky1]

I didnt know to do a gill raker count to identify it ada

still, they was quickly unhooked and returned

 

mack

[H.A.]

I'm only kiddin', Macky.

 

Yes, the raker count is the most definitive way to sort them, but you can't do that when returning the fish. It's only done in a dissection.

 

Best put 'em straight back and call an open-sea fish an Allis and a river (fly-caught?) fish a Twaite!

 

Regards

 

Ada