芬塔西鲱为辐鳍鱼纲鲱形目鲱科的其中一种，分布于东北大西洋区，从挪威至摩洛哥海域，包括波罗的海、地中海、黑海，本鱼身体微侧扁，被大薄鳞片，深蓝色的背部，成为双方腹侧银绿褐色或金黄色，背鳍硬棘4-6枚;背鳍软条12-16枚;臀鳍硬棘3-4枚;臀鳍软条 16-22枚;脊椎骨55-59枚，体长可达60公分，成鱼栖息在沿海海域，稚鱼栖息在河口区，为回游性鱼类，繁殖期回会进入淡水溪流产卵，属肉食性，以鱼类、甲壳类等为食，可做为食用鱼。

The twait shad or twaite shad (Alosa fallax) is a species of fish in the Clupeidae family. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and is an anadromous fish which lives in the sea but migrates into fresh water to spawn. In appearance it resembles an Atlantic herring but has a row of six to ten distinctive spots on its silvery flanks. They become mature when three or more years old and migrate to estuaries, later swimming up rivers to spawn. Populations of this fish have declined due to overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction. Conservation of this species is covered by Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Appendix II and V of the European Community Habitats Directive.