Belongs to Smelts family. Max. size: 20.0 cm male/unsexed and 25.2 cm for female. Max. age: 5 years.

Environment: pelagic; oceanodromous; freshwater. Depth range 0 – 300 m Climate: polar. Minimum population doubling time is 1.4 - 4.4 years. Distribution: Circumpolar in the Arctic. North Atlantic: Barents Sea up to Bear Island, in the White and Norwegian seas, off the coast of Greenland and from Hudson Bay in Canada to Gulf of Maine, USA. North Pacific: south to Korea and Juan de Fuca Strait, Canada. Feeds on planktonic crustaceans, marine worms, and small fishes. In the spring large spawning shoals migrate toward the coasts, males usually arrive first. Often entering brackish and freshwater. Produces 6,000-12,000 adhesive eggs. Females are valued for their roe, males are utilized as fishmeal. Marketed canned and frozen; eaten fried and dried.