Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) is a saltwater, freshwater, brackish species recorded in Taiwan. The main season in Taiwan runs spring, summer, autumn.
Scientific name: Plecoglossus altivelis · Water: Saltwater, Freshwater, Brackish · Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn
Size: 15–28 cm
Weight: 0.08–0.3 kg
The ayu is a prized mountain-stream fish of Taiwan, native to rivers north of the Zhuoshui River, and an annual species that runs downstream to spawn in autumn before mostly dying. It favours clean water and grazes on algae; Taiwan's season runs about April–September. Wary and hard to fool, it demands specialist techniques, and its faint melon-scented flesh is highly valued, making it a challenge for expert stream anglers.
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