RIVER HERRING NEWS

River herring (alewife and blue back herring), range along the east coast and have supported one of the oldest fisheries in the United States.  They also provide food for commercial fish like striped bass, cod and haddock.

Over the years, their populations have declined due to overfishing in the late 1800s through the 1960s, habitat loss and other factors. NOAA considers river herring  to be “Species of Concern" and “Candidate Species.”  Our staff are working on a number of management measures and habitat protection and restoration efforts to help protect and recover river herring populations.  In response to a petition to list these species under the federal Endangered Species Act, we also are in the midst of a formal review to determine whether listing these species would be appropriate.   

Because river herring are so widely distributed and spend time in both fresh water and the ocean, NOAA works with a variety of partners -- federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, commercial and recreational fishermen and others -- to conduct research and develop management measures for these species.   

Credit: Jerry Prezioso, NOAA

 Current Northeast activities to protect and restore river herring populations:  

• NOAA Fisheries' response to the petition to list river herring under the Endangered Species Act
• The New England Fishery Management Council's Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan
• The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Amendment 14 to Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan
• The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's assessment of river herring
  • Volume I
  • Volume II
  • Overview

Current habitat restoration projects to support river herring populations include:

• Penobscot River dam removal in Maine
• Bride Brook river restoration in Connecticut
• Stony Brook marsh restoration in Massachusetts
• Pawcatuck river restoration in Rhode Island (page 4)
• Herring Recovery at Plymouth Rock