Mousethief, they are called Smelts in America and can certainly be found on the Eastern seaboard, and possibly elsewhere. They are popular throughout the Mediterranean as well - my Sicilian grandmother used to cook them regularly when I was little. Despite their small size they have a very strong, fishy flavour, and although I will eat pretty much anything that comes out of the sea (and especially out of a shell), I won't touch smelts (or whitebait) with a barge pole.