1. Bony flesh of herring-like fish usually caught during their migration to fresh water for spawning; especially of Atlantic coast.
2. Herring-like food fishes that migrate from the sea to freshwater to spawn.
deep-bodied herringlike marine fish, spawning in rivers.
Any of several marine fishes, especially the genus Alosa, the largest (60 cm/2 ft long and 2.7 kg/6 lb in weight) of the herring family (Clupeidae). They migrate in shoals to breed in rivers.
The American shad A. sapidissima, once common along the Atlantic coast, was badly affected by stream pollution but is now making a comeback. It was successfully introduced along the Pacific in 1870. The gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum has been widely introduced into fresh waters of the US as food for other fishes.