This species is widely distributed and locally abundant where it occurs in inshore environments (including seagrass beds, mangroves, and estuaries). It is exploited in bait fisheries in many parts of its range and species-specific statistics are not available. There is evidence of negative impacts from exploitation on clupeid fisheries off Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Jamaica, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. It is understood to be a significant component of clupeid catch in at least one of these localities, but generally, the proportion of overall catch which it represents is unknown. Its fast turnover rate makes it resilient to moderate threats and it is not known to be heavily exploited in some parts of its range (USA) nor are there reports of declines off Brazil. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern with a recommendation to improve management of clupeid fisheries in the aforementioned areas.

This species is distributed in the western Atlantic from eastern Florida, the Bahamas, throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and along the South American coast to Santa Catarina, Brazil (Souza-Conceicao et al. 2013, Ribeiro et al. 2014). 

This species forms medium to large size schools (sometimes occurs with other species of Harengula) and can be locally abundant (Whitehead 1985, Randall 1996). It is very abundant off Brazil (Vasconellos et al. 2011, Vilar et al. 2011, Souza-Conceicao et al. 2013). It has been documented that fishing mortality rates are significantly higher than natural mortality rates in Venezuela (Posada 1999). In Mexico, this species is primarily landed as part of a mixed-species clupeoid catch taken by beach seine and gillnet in small coastal fisheries. Mixed catches of clupeoid species (the majority of which is Opisthonema oglinum) represent about 58% of all landings in Veracruz and about 42% of those in Yucatán (SAGARPA 2012). Landings in Veracruz, which are primarily from beach seine fisheries, reached a peak of 1005 tonnes in 1997 decreasing to 42 t in 2008. Landings in small pelagic fisheries in Yucatán increased to a peak of roughly 4500 tonnes in 1998 and then decreased to less than 100 t in 2008. This fishery is considered fully exploited/exploited to maximum sustainability (SAGARPA 2012). In Cuba, there has been a 35% decline in catches of clupeids in general over the last 20 years, which mostly consists of Harengula humeralis and H. clupeola (F. Pina-Amargos pers. comm. 2012). In Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands, anecdotal evidence also suggests a declining population trend (K. Aiken and J. Brown pers. comm. 2012). In Puerto Rico, this species undertakes inshore migrations during the spawning season where it incurs significant fishing pressure (Pena-Alvarado et al. 2009). Kimmel (1991) carried out a baitfish survey in Puerto Rico in 1986, suggesting baitfish landings were lower than for any of the previous three years examined. Similar declines have also been noted in the bait fisheries for clupeids in the US Virgin Islands (Beets and LaPlace 1991) and is similar to data from Jamaica.

This pelagic, schooling species occurs in coastal waters, including estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, and seagrass beds (Ortaz et al. 1996, Felix et al. 2007). It occurs in turbid waters along the mainland coast as well as in clear waters of insular coral reef habitats. Schools of juveniles are often found along sandy beaches (Freon et al. 1993). It can tolerate considerable changes in salinity. Surveys in coastal southern Brazil revealed that H. clupeola constitutes 42% of total catch in the surf zone (Felix et al. 2007). It is a nocturnal predator that feeds on pteropods, polychaetes, fish eggs, and zooplankton, especially copepods (Randall 1967, Sierra 1987, Sierra et al. 1994, Ortez et al. 1996), It has multiple spawnings per season. Its maximum recorded length is 18 cm TL (Lieske and Myers 1994), but is common to 9 cm (Nizinski and Munroe 2002). This species is small, fast-growing, and short lived (k = 0.69) (Posada et al. 1988). Typical of tropical clupeids, it is suspected that this species has a relatively short life span (probably 3-5 years).

All life history stages of this species occur in inshore environments (including seagrass beds, mangroves, and estuaries) and are thus easily accessible for exploitation as both food and bait resources. These inshore environments are susceptible to coastal zone development and other anthropogenic impacts. However, exploitation and habitat degradation are not considered to be major threats for its global population.

Clupeids in general, Harengula species in particular, are important in bait fisheries throughout their ranges (LeGore 2007, Pena-Alvarado et al. 2009, J. Brown and K. Aiken pers. comm. 2012). It is caught mainly with purse seines, beach seines and cast nets and marketed mostly fresh; probably also reduced to fish meal together with other clupeid fishes (Munroe 2002, SAGARPA 2012). Its flesh has an unpleasant odor and it is considered to be toxic in some locations, such as Venezuela and Antigua, where it is considered to be unsuitable for human consumption (Posada et al. 1988). Separate species-specific statistics are not reported, but combined catches of Harengula species for 1995 were 1 117 t (Cuba: 1 045 t; Dominican Republic: 72 t). In Veracruz, this fishery once supported irregular canning operations. Small pelagic species are often used as bait for other fisheries (SAGARPA 2012).

There are no species-specific conservation measures. Regulations have been discussed for placing limits on the bait fishery (J. Brown and Grijalba-Bendeck pers. comm. 2012). Improved monitoring of landings and biostatistical data are recommended.
Off Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico, recommendations include that the catch not exceed 1,650 t per year in Yucatan and in Veracruz, catch should not exceed 300 tonnes per year. Additional recommendations include banning the use of beach seines and managing this species at the regional and sub-regional levels (SAGARPA 2012).