I visited Cape Cod in between my trip home from Michigan to North Carolina. Flying over Massachusetts, it is possible to see numerous ponds and lakes just sitting inland from the sea. Many of these ponds and lakes are connected to the ocean via estuaries, creeks, and rivers. River herring are a family of anadromous fish that must ascend into these estuaries, creeks, and rivers to reach freshwater lakes, ponds, and streams where they can deposit their eggs. However, river herring are becoming an endangered species, because of various anthropogenic pressures that threaten the large numbers these fish need to survive (think passenger pigeon). Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) are the two river herring species of concern.

River herring have been using these waters for some time. However, development has resulted in habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation. As a result, creeks no longer connect many of these ponds and lakes. Furthermore, many of these creeks and streams lack proper riparian cover, so sea gulls and other predators can easily capture the little fish.

To make matters worse, these river herring face another threat. At sea, river herring school with sea herring, and pair trawlers target the sea herring. These pair trawlers scoop up tens of thousands of pounds of sea herring, and observers on these pair trawlers have found river herring in significant numbers.

The situation gets even more complicated, since pair trawlers also impact recreational fishers, because recreational fishers prefer using herring as bait. However, increased scarcity has resulted in these little herring being protected in many state waters throughout the east coast. Furthermore, some have linked a decline of sea herring to tuna with less fat content.  Although the Gloucester Daily Times is reporting that herring “are plentiful, and right around the corner from Gloucester; they’re of good quality, there’s still quota left, and diesel has dropped from around $4 per gallon to $2 per gallon levels.”

The bycatch of river herring at sea by pair trawlers coupled with habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation of freshwater habitat is a huge problem that can only be solved by conservation measures. Certainly, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), and the Fishery Management Councils must take more action. The Marine Fish Conservation Network is asking for your help to reduce bycaught river herring. From the Marine Fish Conservation Network:

With your help, our message is starting to get through to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), soon to be followed with appeals to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service, the two bodies responsible for managing fish in federal waters. We need your support now to help make sure that we are heard loud and clear by January 1, 2009 and beyond, when fishery management specialists at the ASMFC finalize Draft Amendment 2 to the Shad and River Herring Fishery Management Plan.

With your support we can make sure the ASMFC get the message – We need a strong Amendment!

ASMFC is considering strong conservation measures that minimize bycatch (the accidental capturing and killing of non-targeted fish and ocean wildlife) and help to rebuild river herring. However, they need to hear from people like you who are concerned about collapsed fish populations and wasteful fishing practices that leave few fish in the ocean for other predators.

Your dedication to protecting our oceans makes our work possible.

Deadline to comment is January 1, 2009

Please click here to send a message today to help us continue this effort

Image by Michael was found here

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