Norwegian record European sprat: 37 g

About European sprat

The European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) is a small member of the herring family and one of the most common schooling fish along the Norwegian coast. It is usually 8–12 cm long and seldom more than about 16 cm, and few live beyond 4–5 years. It resembles a young herring, but a sharp keel of scales along the belly gives it away. The back is bluish or greenish and the flanks silver. Sprat tolerates brackish water and is found both offshore and in fjords and bays. In Norway it occurs north to Helgeland, and several fjords hold their own local stocks, while the largest stock spawns in the North Sea and Skagerrak, mainly in May and June. It feeds on zooplankton, especially copepods, and is important prey for fish. It is caught with purse seines. For anglers it is mostly of interest as bait. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: August

See the species guide

Biggest European sprat in FishComp

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How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.