Maitland, P.S. (2003) The status of smelt Osmerus eperlanus in England.
Fish conservation centre
| Species | Development state | Trait | Primary Data | Secondary Data |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Egg | Egg adhesiveness | Highly adhesive | Adhesive |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning migration period | Mature adults congregate in the upper estuary during the winter, preparatory to spawning in the spring | ['January', 'February', 'March', 'April', 'May', 'June'] |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning period duration | The annual spawning takes place over just a few days | No data |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning temperature | Water has reached at least 5°C [Timing of spawning seems to be dictated by temperatures and tides and may vary from estuary to estuary, especially from North to South] | 5.0 °C |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning water type | Spawning takes place in fresh water, usually, but not always, somewhere near the end of tide where there is a significant current | Flowing or turbulent water |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning depth | Varies from shallow water to deep water | No data |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Spawning substrate | Normally clean gravel, stones or macrophytes of various kinds | Lithophils |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Nycthemeral period of oviposition | Usually at night | Night |
| Osmerus eperlanus | Spawning conditions | Mating system | The spawning is communal | Promiscuity |