noun
- A small, silvery fish of the smelt family found in the North Pacific, valued for its high oil content.
Usage: Also spelled 'oolachon' or 'oolichan'; Regional: Pacific Northwest
Examples
- The eulachon runs up Pacific rivers each spring to spawn.
- Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest traditionally harvested eulachon for their oil.
- Eulachon are so rich in fat that they were historically burned as candles.
- The decline in eulachon populations has affected both wildlife and local fishing communities.
- Eulachon oil was a valuable trade commodity among First Nations groups.