The species schools in coastal waters primarily on the bottom or midwater, with shoals of fish seen on the surface usually only in summer.
The New Zealand sprat, Sprattus muelleri, is a herring-like, marine fish in the family Clupeidae found in the subtropical southwest Pacific Ocean endemic to New Zealand. Its depth range is from the surface to 110 m, and its length is up to 13 cm. More
crisp New Zealand sprat; a bit of upscale Red Sea bream; and, dominating the plate, a live Bay scallop on the half shell, softer and sweeter than any in our experience. More