Sardine run

About Sardine run

• Shoals of the marine species are fluttering in shallow waters along the coast at Keri-Terekhol, about 40 km from Panaji.
• Reason: This marine event is “very rare” and it usually happens due to sudden changes in the temperature of sea surface water where sardines live.
• A drop or rise in sea surface temperature can induce migration of sardines in higher numbers and sometimes they get trapped in shallow waters 

Key facts about Sardine fish

• It belongs to the herring family, Clupeidae.
• The name sardine can also refer to the common herring (Clupea harengus) and to other small herrings or herringlike fishes when canned in oil.
• Habitat: They are found in saltwater oceans, seas, and other bodies of water throughout the world. 
• Distribution: Found all over the world from the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the waters around South America.
• These are small, silvery, elongated fishes with a single short dorsal fin, no lateral line, and no scales on the head.
• They migrate along the coast and feed on plankton.
• It is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health.

Q1) What are omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) are polyunsaturated fats that perform important functions in your body. Your body can’t produce the amount of omega-3s you need to survive. So, omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients, meaning you need to get them from the foods you eat.

Source: Thousands of sardine fish surface near Goa beach, experts call it ‘rare’ event