The silverside ranges from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida. Prince Edward Island has the only commercial silverside fishery in Canada. Most silversides in PEI spawn in coastal ponds and rivers.

Silversides are part of a large family that includes many small, minnow-like fish that travel in schools. The species commonly found in Canadian waters are referred to as the New World silversides and include the Atlantic silverside, the only silverside species that is harvested for commercial purposes in Canada. Silversides usually live near the shore in brackish ponds and estuaries along the coast. They are prey for many larger fish, birds and marine mammals and rarely live past 2 years.