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Also called:
ai, or ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis)
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sweetfish

fish
Also known as: Plecoglossus altivelis, ai, ayu
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

sweetfish, delicately flavoured marine fish that migrates upstream to spawn in clear waters. It is found in East Asia and is of the family Osmeridae. The sweetfish is light yellow or olive-coloured, about 30 cm (1 foot) long, and similar to a small trout in appearance. It is distinguished by a ridged tongue, a sail-like dorsal fin, and teeth arranged on saw-edged plates at the sides of the jaws. In Japan tame cormorants are used to catch the fish as it swims upriver.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.