South American pilchard (Sardinops sagax ) are a neritic, coastalpelagic species caught down to depths of about 40 m, that forms large schools. Sardine off the West Coast of North America is thought to consist of three subpopulations or stocks (Hill et al., 2011). A northern (“cold”) subpopulation (northern Baja California to Alaska), a southern subpopulation (outer coastal Baja California to southern California) covered by this profile, and a Gulf of California subpopulation have been distinguished by population studies, although some uncertainty remains.

All Baja Californian landings are received in the Mexican port of Ensenada. Fishing vessels in this fishery are 25 m in OAL (120 GT Capacity).