Anchoveta

A small, herring-like fish abundant in the Pacific off western South America. Anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) gather in vast schools within the Humboldt Current upwelling, supporting one of the largest single-species fisheries on earth. Almost the entire catch is reduced to fishmeal and fish oil, making anchoveta the foundation of the world’s aquaculture and livestock feed supply. The fishery is managed with careful quotas because El Niño events periodically collapse the stock, with cascading effects on feed prices globally. A small fraction is canned or cured for direct human consumption, valued for its rich flavour and omega-3 content.