Sightings
2026 season, every one sourced
Southern California
- Aug 30 to Oct 17, 2026San Diego, Santa Monica Bay, Orange County, North San Diego Bay, Long Beach and Newport Beach9 records
Photos
From California this season
No photos yet. If you photographed this animal in California this season, post it to the Coastal Bulletin.
Home Range
Where it normally lives
Santa Rosalita, Pacific Baja California, south to Peru.
Range source: FishBase
The species ranges from Santa Rosalita on the Pacific coast of Baja California to northern Peru. FishBase also notes a record that pushed the range north to San Pedro, in Los Angeles. It schools near the surface, both close to shore and offshore, down to about 230 feet.
Identification
The Pacific thread herring is a slim schooling fish whose last dorsal fin ray trails back as a long thread. That thread separates it from every other herring-like fish in the eastern Pacific. It grows to about 12 inches, and most are closer to 9.
Natural History
Thread herring travel in dense schools and appear to be the most common thread herring in the eastern Pacific. They feed on microscopic algae such as diatoms. Their eggs and young drift in the plankton. In their home range they are caught for fish meal and oil and are sometimes canned.
In California
The first 2026 record came from San Diego on August 30. Within a week the species had also been logged in Santa Monica Bay, Orange County and North San Diego Bay, and later records came from Long Beach's Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier on September 26 and Newport Beach on October 17. The Santa Monica Bay record sits north of even the San Pedro stray.
Taxonomy
Rarity
Rarity in the compendium is how often the animal has been reported on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives. It moves as new sightings come in.