also named Herring, sprat, Spanish sardine, pilchard

Waters:Coastal saltwaters worldwide

"Sardine" is a general name for the tiny, silvery marine fish that swim in large schools near the surface of the water. The name is often used interchangeably with sprat, pilchard, and herring. Sardines harvested in U.S. coastal waters are actually young herring, while so-called "true" sardines hail from European waters.