noun
- a small, oily fish of the smelt family found in the North Pacific, valued as food and for its oil
Usage: also spelled 'eulachon' or 'oolachan'; chiefly North American
Examples
- The eulachan was an important food source for Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest.
- Eulachan oil was traditionally rendered and used for cooking and lighting.
- Fishermen harvested eulachans during their seasonal runs up coastal rivers.
- The eulachan's high fat content made it ideal for preservation.
- Indigenous communities still celebrate the annual eulachan harvest.