One of the most familiar fish on Korean dining tables is the anchovy.

Anchovies are widely used to make soup stock, stir-fried side dishes, salted seafood, and fish sauce. However, their importance goes far beyond their role as food.

In the ocean, anchovies feed on plankton and other tiny organisms. At the same time, they are an important food source for larger predators such as mackerel, Spanish mackerel, hairtail, tuna, seabirds, and marine mammals.

For this reason, anchovies play an important role in connecting different levels of the marine food web.

In this article, we’ll explore the Japanese anchovy’s characteristics, appearance, habitat, diet, reproduction, life cycle, ecological role, and nutritional value.

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What Is the Japanese Anchovy?

The fish commonly called myeolchi in Korea is a small marine fish belonging to the anchovy family.

Its scientific name is Engraulis japonicus, and its English name is Japanese Anchovy.

It is widely distributed in the northwestern Pacific, including waters around Korea, Japan, and China.

Basic information includes:

• Korean name: Myeolchi
• English name: Japanese Anchovy
• Scientific name: Engraulis japonicus
• Order: Clupeiformes
• Family: Engraulidae
• Habitat: Coastal and offshore surface waters
• Diet: Zooplankton, phytoplankton, and other small organisms
• Lifestyle: Forms large schools
• Notable features: Small, slender, silvery body and highly social schooling behavior

Despite its small size, the Japanese anchovy is extremely important to both fisheries and marine ecosystems.

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Appearance

The Japanese anchovy has a long and slender body.

Its back often appears bluish or greenish-blue, while the belly is bright silver-white.

Typical physical characteristics include:

• Long, slender body
• Silvery-white underside
• Bluish or greenish back
• Relatively large mouth
• Thin scales that may come off easily
• Nearly transparent fins
• Streamlined body suitable for active swimming

Its silvery body reflects underwater light and may help reduce its visibility to predators.

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Size

The Japanese anchovy is a typical small schooling fish.

Adults are commonly around 10 cm long, although many individuals can reach around 15 cm, and some may grow larger depending on environmental conditions.

In markets, dried anchovies are often divided into categories based on size.

Smaller anchovies are commonly used for stir-fried side dishes, while larger ones are frequently used to make broth.

These market categories generally refer to different size classes rather than completely different species.

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Where Do Japanese Anchovies Live?

Japanese anchovies mainly inhabit coastal and offshore waters, especially relatively shallow surface waters.

They often move in large schools following areas where food is abundant.

In Korea, they can be found in the East Sea, South Sea, and Yellow Sea.

Their distribution and movements can change depending on:

• Water temperature
• Ocean currents
• Season
• Plankton abundance
• Other environmental conditions

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Why Do Anchovies Form Schools?

Anchovies can form enormous schools containing thousands or even many more individuals.

Schooling provides several advantages.

First, predators may have difficulty targeting one individual among a large, rapidly moving group.

Second, many fish swimming together can detect danger more efficiently.

Third, schooling may help them locate productive feeding areas.

The synchronized movements of a large anchovy school can be extremely impressive.

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What Do Japanese Anchovies Eat?

Japanese anchovies feed on small organisms found in seawater.

Their diet can include:

• Zooplankton
• Copepods
• Small crustaceans
• Phytoplankton
• Fish eggs
• Very small fish larvae
• Other microscopic marine organisms

Young anchovies rely heavily on very small plankton.

As they grow, they can consume somewhat larger zooplankton.

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How Do Anchovies Feed on Plankton?

Japanese anchovies can capture individual prey, but they can also feed by taking water into the mouth and filtering small organisms using structures associated with the gills.

When plankton becomes abundant in a particular area, large schools of anchovies may gather there.

Because of this, anchovy distribution and abundance are closely connected to marine productivity and plankton availability.

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Life Cycle

Japanese anchovies are oviparous fish, meaning they reproduce by laying eggs.

Their basic life cycle is:

Egg → Larva → Juvenile → Young Anchovy → Adult

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1. Egg

During the spawning season, females release eggs into the seawater, while males release sperm for external fertilization.

The eggs develop while drifting in the water.

Depending on water temperature and other environmental conditions, larvae hatch after a period of development.

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2. Larva

Newly hatched anchovy larvae are extremely small and often relatively transparent.

At first, they rely on nutrients from the remaining yolk.

Later, they begin feeding on very small plankton.

This stage is especially vulnerable to predators and changes in environmental conditions.

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3. Juvenile

As the fish grows, its fins and body shape gradually become more similar to those of an adult anchovy.

Juveniles actively feed and grow quickly.

Young anchovies may also form schools and serve as important prey for larger fish and seabirds.

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4. Adult

Once fully developed, the fish becomes capable of reproduction.

Adults move through productive waters while feeding on plankton.

During the spawning season, they reproduce and begin the next generation.

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How Long Do Japanese Anchovies Live?

Japanese anchovies are relatively short-lived fish.

They grow quickly, reproduce rapidly, and their population size can vary considerably depending on marine conditions.

This fast life history is important because anchovies experience intense predation from many different animals.

Rapid growth and reproduction help maintain their populations despite heavy losses to predators.

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Natural Predators

Japanese anchovies are eaten by many marine predators.

Common predators include:

• Mackerel
• Spanish mackerel
• Hairtail
• Tuna
• Yellowtail and related fish
• Squid
• Dolphins
• Seabirds
• Various large predatory fish

Because so many animals depend on anchovies as prey, they are an extremely important forage fish in marine ecosystems.

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Why Do Anchovy Schools Sometimes Appear Near the Surface?

Anchovy schools may move close to the surface when following food or escaping predators.

If large predatory fish attack from below, anchovies may be forced toward the surface in dense groups.

Seabirds may then gather above the school and feed on the fish from the air.

Such feeding events clearly demonstrate the anchovy’s central role in the marine food web.

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Ecological Role

Japanese anchovies function as important intermediate consumers in marine ecosystems.

They consume plankton and are then eaten by much larger predators.

A simplified food chain looks like:

Plankton → Japanese Anchovy → Mackerel, Hairtail, Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Seabirds, and Marine Mammals

In other words, anchovies transfer energy from tiny plankton to larger predators.

If anchovy populations decline dramatically, animals that depend on them as prey may also be affected.

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Japanese Anchovy vs. Sand Lance

Anchovies and sand lances are sometimes confused because both are small fish.

However, they belong to different groups.

Japanese Anchovy

• Belongs to the anchovy family
• Relatively laterally compressed, silvery body
• Large mouth
• Widely used in broths, stir-fried dishes, salted seafood, and fish sauce

Sand Lance

• Belongs to the sand lance family
• More elongated and cylindrical body
• Some species bury themselves in sand
• Often used for fish sauce and other foods

Both are important in Korean food culture, but biologically they are different fish.

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Japanese Anchovy vs. Sardine

Anchovies and sardines can also look similar because both are small, silvery fish that form large schools.

However, they belong to different families.

Anchovies generally have a larger mouth and a more slender body.

Sardines tend to have a somewhat deeper and more robust body shape.

The shape of the head, mouth, and body can help distinguish them when examined closely.

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Why Are Anchovies Good for Making Broth?

Dried anchovies are one of the most important natural broth ingredients in Korean cooking.

They contain proteins, amino acids, nucleotides, and other compounds that contribute to umami.

When anchovies are simmered in water, these flavor compounds dissolve into the broth and add depth to soups, stews, noodle dishes, and hot pots.

Combining dried anchovies with kelp can create an even richer flavor because the ingredients contain different umami-related compounds.

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Nutritional Value

Despite their small size, anchovies are nutritionally rich.

Because small dried anchovies are often eaten whole, including the bones, they provide a wide range of nutrients.

Important nutrients include:

• Protein
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• B vitamins
• Vitamin D
• Iron
• Selenium

Anchovies are especially useful as a source of both protein and calcium.

However, dried anchovies and seasoned anchovy dishes may contain relatively high levels of sodium, so portion size should be considered.

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Why Are Anchovies Rich in Calcium?

Anchovies are often eaten whole, including their bones.

This means people can directly consume the calcium contained in the skeleton.

Small dried anchovies, in particular, are frequently eaten without removing the head or bones.

For this reason, they are widely recognized as a convenient dietary source of calcium.

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Why Are Dried Anchovies Sold Under Different Size Names?

Dried anchovies are commonly classified by size for commercial purposes.

Very small anchovies may be used for stir-fried dishes, while medium and large anchovies are often chosen for different cooking purposes.

These names are mainly market size categories.

They do not necessarily mean that the fish belong to different species.

Different sizes can simply represent different growth stages or harvest periods.

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Foods Made with Anchovies

Anchovies are used in many different Korean dishes.

Examples include:

• Stir-fried anchovies
• Anchovy broth
• Anchovy noodle soup
• Anchovy stew
• Fresh anchovy sashimi-style dishes
• Anchovy ssambap
• Salted anchovies
• Anchovy fish sauce
• Rice balls and fried rice

In some coastal regions of southern Korea, seasonal fresh anchovies are used to prepare local dishes such as fresh anchovy salad and anchovy ssambap.

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How Are Dried Anchovies Made?

Freshly caught anchovies can spoil quickly, so rapid processing is important.

To make dried anchovies, freshly caught fish are generally boiled or blanched and then dried.

Drying reduces moisture and improves storage life.

Factors such as drying quality, size, color, and freshness influence the final product.

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How to Choose Good Dried Anchovies

When buying dried anchovies, several characteristics can help indicate quality.

Look for anchovies that:

• Are not excessively broken
• Have a clean, savory dried-fish aroma rather than a strong rancid smell
• Are not excessively yellow or discolored
• Retain a relatively intact body shape
• Are well dried rather than damp

For long-term storage, keeping dried anchovies in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer can help preserve quality.

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Why Are the Guts Removed from Large Anchovies?

Large dried anchovies used for broth are often prepared by removing the head and internal organs.

The internal organs can sometimes contribute bitterness or a stronger fishy flavor.

Removing them can produce a cleaner and milder broth.

However, some cooking methods leave them intact to create a stronger flavor.

Small anchovies are usually eaten whole without this preparation.

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Relationship with Humans

Japanese anchovies are an important fishery resource in Korea.

They are sold fresh, dried, salted, fermented, or processed into fish sauce.

Anchovy fisheries are also closely connected to the economies of many coastal communities, particularly along the southern coast.

However, anchovy populations can be strongly influenced by:

• Water temperature
• Ocean currents
• Plankton availability
• Spawning success
• Other environmental changes

For this reason, sustainable fishery management and healthy marine environments are important for maintaining anchovy resources.

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Interesting Facts About Japanese Anchovies

Japanese anchovies have several interesting characteristics despite their small size.

First, they can gather in enormous schools containing thousands of individuals.

Second, they feed on plankton and then become prey for much larger animals, making them a central link in the marine food web.

Third, they are used in an unusually wide variety of Korean foods, including broths, side dishes, salted seafood, and fish sauce.

Fourth, small dried anchovies can be eaten whole, making them a useful source of calcium and protein.

Finally, their distribution and population size can change significantly depending on water temperature, ocean currents, and plankton conditions.

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The Japanese Anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) is one of the most important small schooling fish found in waters around Korea.

It has a slender, silvery body and forms large schools that move through coastal and offshore waters.

Japanese anchovies mainly feed on plankton and small crustaceans, while they themselves are eaten by mackerel, Spanish mackerel, hairtail, tuna, squid, seabirds, dolphins, and many other predators.

For this reason, anchovies are an essential link between plankton and larger marine predators.

They are equally important to people.

Anchovies are used in stir-fried dishes, soup stock, fermented seafood, and fish sauce, while also providing nutrients such as protein, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and several vitamins and minerals.

Although they may appear ordinary because of their small size, Japanese anchovies play an exceptionally important role both on the dining table and in the marine ecosystem.