It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the western Baltic Sea and the western Mediterranean Sea. In appearance it resembles an Atlantic herring but has a distinctive dark spot behind the gill cover and sometimes a row of up to six spots behind this. It sometimes hybridises with the twait shad (A.

Where do shad fish live?

HABITAT: Adult American Shad spend the majority of their lives in the ocean. Non-spawning adults are usually found in schools near the surface of continental shelf waters in spring summer and fall. These fish can also be found in coastal brackish waters.

Where do Allis shad live and why do they enter rivers?

Adult allis shad live in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. However, to reproduce (lay eggs) they need other water conditions – for example, fresh water instead of salt water like the ocean. Once in their lifetime, allis shad migrate to large rivers (mostly in France, Spain and Portugal) to lay their eggs.