Coddy

Also known as: May Fish Size: Up to 20ins/50cm in length and 4lb. UK shore caught typically 25cm and 2lbs. UK shore caught record: Allis Shad 4lb 120z / Twaite Shad 2lb 12oz [uK record currently suspended due to Endangered status]. Distribution: Migrates between freshwater and saltwater throughout Europe and North Africa, although numbers are massivley reduced and in the UK the shad is only found in very isolated rivers and estuaries. Feeds on: Plankton and tiny invertebrates when young, eats small crustaceans and hunts small fish when older. Description: Small, herring like fish. Single dorsal fin and deeply forked tail. Silvery appearance which can be darker on the back and fins. Scales are loose and very large. Spot pattern runs along flanks from gill covers, although this varies vastly between individual fish – in some fish fifteen spots can run all the way to the tail, in others the spots can be absent altogether. Additional notes: Not to be confused with Scad. The two types of shad found in UK waters are the allis shad (Alosa alosa) and the twaite shad (Alosa fallax). These two species are very, very similar, with the main difference being the size (allis shad can grow to almost 5lb, twaite shad just to 2lbs). The only other differences are that allis shad have more than seventy scales along the lateral line and more than ninety gill rakers, whereas twaite shad have less than seventy scales along the lateral line and less gill rakers. The dark spots on the flanks and tail vary within and between species meaning they cannot be used for identification purposes. The two species can also interbreed, meaning that some shad exist which have numbers of lateral line scales and gill rakers between the figures mentioned above. Due to the close similarities between these species the rest of this article will consider shad as a single species. Life Cycle Shad are members of the culpeidae family and are closely related to herrings. They are an anadromous fish meaning they can live in both salt and freshwater environments. Mature shad spend their life in the sea, where they feed on small fish such as sprats, lesser sandeel and immature herrings. In spring (usually in the month of May, hence the alternative name of May fish) the shad moves migrates up rivers and into freshwater to breed. Shad can travel hundreds of miles up rivers before they find their breeding grounds. The young shad live in freshwater for some time before they begin to make their way back downstream and towards the sea. Usually shad will have reached the sea by the time they are two years old and live in the sea until they reach sexual maturity at anytime between the age of three and seven. Allis shad can only reproduce once and die after breeding, whereas twaite shad can carry out the journey and reproduce multiple times. Shad numbers are massively reduced in Britain compared to several decades ago. Overfishing has played a part, although shad had not been a food fish in Britain since the 1800s it is still caught and disposed of as bycatch. However, the biggest cause of the reduction of shad numbersis obstructions built into rivers such as dams, sluices, weirs and pumping stations. These structures have disrupted migratory patterns of shad and been the major cause of decimated shad numbers. A further problem is that these structures are often created to be ‘fish friendly’ and are passable by trout and salmon but cannot be passed by the smaller and weaker shad. Shad also need clean and clear water and pollution has played a part in reducing numbers. Today shad are absent from many areas where they were once abundant. In many major European rivers such as the Rhine, Elbe and Thames the shad is now officially classified as extinct. The last major place of abundant shad is in the north west of France. The rivers Usk, Wye and the River Severn are rare UK rivers where shad are known to spawn, but only remnant populations remain in other major rivers where the shad used to be common. Legal Protection for Shad Shad caught by UK sea anglers are usually caught by anglers spinning for bass or using daylights or feathers to go for mackerel. Due to the rarity of this species the shad is subject to substantial legal protection. It is illegal to kill, injure or take a shad from the sea under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It is therefore not legal to specifically target shad and any shad inadvertently caught must be returned to the sea immediately without injury or harm.

Found on continental shelves in the east Atlantic from southwest England and Ireland to Gibraltar and northern Morocco. Not found in the North Sea or the Mediterranean Sea. Small-eyed Rays are only abundant in a few sites such as the Bristol Channel in the UK and Bertheaume Bay in France APPEARANCE • Maximum total length ~90cm. • Conspicuously small eyes. • Upper surface sandy in colour. • Lighter streaks, spots and blotches in regular patterns. • Lower surface white. • Tail slightly shorter than body. • Row of ~50 large thorns along midline to first dorsal fin The Small-eyed Ray gets its name from its conspicuously small eyes, surrounded by small orbital thorns. The upper surface of the disc is predominantly spiny with the exception of the centre and rear third of the pectoral fins which are smoother. Along the midline from the head to the first dorsal fin there is a regular row of around 50 thorns. These can become worn in older specimens. There are sometimes thorns on the lower edges of the tail, particularly in older females. At the end of the tail there are sometimes thorns between the dorsal fins. The underside of small individuals is smooth but the centre and head of the disc become rougher as the skate matures. The Small-eyed Ray inhabits inshore and coastal waters down to about 100m (330ft) It is found on soft substrates favouring sandy bays and sand banks to which its camouflage is perfectly suited Very little is known about the diet of the Small-eyed Ray, though it most likely feeds on a variety of bottom dwelling invertebrates such as crustaceans and teleost fish. Studies from Bertheaume Bay, France have shown that it feeds almost exclusively on fast, teleost fish such as sandeels, particularly Ammodytes tobianus. It ambush's predators, once buried only their eyes and spiracles are visible. Given its small geographical distribution and localised abundance, populations may be vulnerable to declines caused by over-fishing, habitat degradation and other disturbance.

The Scad are usually linked closely to the Mackerel even though they are not related, The Scad are commonly known as Horse Mackerel they have very large eyes and a silver body and can be caught very close to the shoreline using a float rig baited with strips of fish etc or they can also be captured on feathers not unlike Mackerel. Feeds on: Mostly feeds by hunting small fish, sandeels and squid, although will take most edible creatures it comes across including crustaceans. Scad can also filter feed on plankton. Description: Streamlined silvery body, with green/grey back. Two dorsal fins, first of which is tall and spined, the second is longer and flatter, as is the anal fin. Tail is deeply forked. Unusual scaly lateral line which runs all the way from the tail to the gills and curves upwards over the large pectoral fin. Large eyes and black mark on gill cover. Scad is a shoaling species which is found all around the UK. They are not actually related to mackerel despite their alternative name of horse mackerel (there are a number of species around the world also named or nicknamed horse mackerel). The alternative name comes from the untrue belief that other small species of fish would ride on the back of scad as they swam through the sea. Commercially caught scad. Scad can be found at all water levels. They will hunt at or near the surface for small fish and will also hunt around the seabed for anything they can find there. At certain times it is thought that crustaceans can make up a large proportion of their diet. Smaller scad can filter feed on plankton, but some reports state that scad retain this ability throughout their life. Scad inhabit fairly deep water for most of the year, come into shallower water, and within the range of shore anglers, in the warm summer months. They are known to feed more when the sun begins to set, spending daylight hours nearer the seabed. The vast majority of scad caught by UK sea anglers are caught on feathers, daylights or other lures. Although scad can reach eighteen inches in length and the UK shore caught record is three pounds they are usually much smaller than this coming in at ten inches or so and under a pound. Scad is a commercial fish which can be fried or baked, it is also used in frozen food products. Most of the scad caught in UK waters is exported abroad to continental Europe where scad is much more popular as a food fish. Although little research has been carried out into the stocks of scad fishing for this species is thought to be taking place within safe biological limits and the stocks are thought to be stable. Scad is vastly important around Africa as it it forms part of the staple diet for millions of people. Some anglers have had success using scad as a bait, with thin strips being used to float fish for mackerel and garfish and it is also useful as a livebait for big bass, tope or conger eel.

Note the spines on the gill plates there are four spines each side.