Did You Know? River Herring in Massachusetts

Our blogger today is Dorie Stolley, Watershed Action Alliance Coordinator and Outreach Manager.

River herring swimming upstream to spawn

Do you ever wonder why there are many water bodies called Herring Pond, Herring River or Herring Brook in southeastern Massachusetts? Not so long ago streams and natural pools came alive in the spring with alewives and blueback herring, collectively known as river herring. They were so plentiful that Native Americans and European colonists caught them in nets and weirs for food and fertilizer for their crops.

As recently as a few decades ago locals caught them in huge amounts to pan-fry, pickle or use as the best bait for striped bass. That’s why they have the nickname “Striper Candy.” Up until a few years ago lots of towns held Herring Festivals to celebrate the spring appearance of the fish as they swam upstream from the ocean to freshwater to spawn.  Gradually, the numbers of herring have diminished due to dams, stream degradation, and overfishing. Now, there is a ban on catching any river herring whatsoever in Massachusetts and seven other states on the Atlantic coast because there are so few left. Fishermen are left without any chance to catch a few for dinner or to put on the fishhook in hope of catching a striper.

Herring hero lifting fish over a dam

But there is hope for the recovery of the river herring. Because dams block most coastal Massachusetts waterways—herring’s travel corridors to spawning grounds-- they cannot breed. But, behold the herring heroes, volunteers who stand for hours at dams lifting net loads of migrating herring up and over dams so they can continue their runs to spawning grounds. Better yet, groups such as the nine member associations of the Watershed Action Alliance (www.watershedaction.org) are removing outdated and dangerous dams or placing fish ladders around them so the herring can more easily circumvent the obstacle.

The Watershed Action Alliance (WAA) also fights for clean water for fish, other wildlife, and people. By keeping streams free of pollution and sedimentation, and maintaining shade trees and riparian corridors, stream water stays cool enough for herring, siltation is reduced and people can swim and recreate without fear of contamination. For instance, one of WAA’s members, the Jones River Watershed Association, removed the Wapping Road Dam on the Jones River in 2011, which allowed herring and eels, among other creatures, to move along the river as they have for thousands of years.

And there’s more. While fishermen forego using even one river herring as striper bait, huge offshore trawlers fishing in Federal waters catch tens of thousands of them. The Atlantic herring is their target, but because the river herring will school with them, they are also netted and legally sold as bycatch. A trawler can catch hundreds of thousands of river herring... in just one tow of the net! Fortunately, WAA members have teamed up with the Herring Alliance to change this, too, so that together we can bring back the herring, a sign of spring and symbol of plenty to Massachusetts residents.

Would you like to see rivers teem with herring, canoe on scenic waterways, and ensure that your children have clean water? Contact your local watershed association to join the effort. Find out more at: www.watershedaction.org. 

Taking good care of our waterways will help the return of the herring.

 

Photo by Ellen Piaskoski