鲱科为辐鳍鱼纲鲱形目的其中一科。它包含多种世界各地主要的食用鱼，也有些被当作捕鱼所需的饵料鱼。

本科鱼类广泛分布在北纬70°至南纬60°间的海域。

Clupeidae (Latin: "sardine") is the name of the fish family of the herrings, shads, sardines, hilsa, and menhadens. They include many of the most important food fishes in the world, and are also commonly caught for production of fish oil and fish meal. Many members of the family have a body protected with shiny cycloid scales (very smooth and uniform scales), a single dorsal fin, with a fusiform body evolved for quick, evasive swimming and pursuit of prey composed of small planktonic animals. Due to their small size, and position in the lower trophic level of many marine food webs, the levels of methylmercury they bioaccumulate are very low, reducing the risk of mercury poisoning when consumed.