NOAA Fisheries recently announced that listing is not warranted at this time for alewife and blueback herring, collectively known as river herring, as either threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The agency has already funded and will be implementing, in conjunction with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and other partners, a coordinated coast-wide effort to continue to address data needs and proactively conserve river herring and their habitat.
According to NOAA Fisheries, the agency intends to establish a technical working group and to continue to work closely with the ASMFC and others to develop a long-term conservation plan for river herring. NOAA Fisheries intends to revisit the status of river herring within the next five years.
For more information, visit:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/08/12/2013-19380/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-endangered-species-act-listing-determination-for
source: NOAA Fisheries
Showing posts with label river herring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label river herring. Show all posts
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
MAFMC River Herring Bycatch Cap
In June the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) approved a 236 metric ton (MT) cap on incidental catch of river herring and shad in the U.S. Atlantic mackerel fishery for 2014.
Under the new cap, the mackerel fishing fleet (primarily composed of trawlers) will risk early closure if they are unable to successfully avoid river herring and shad.
The catch cap is one of several protective measures slated to take effect next year as part of Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
The amendment also calls for increased reporting and monitoring requirements for fishermen and dealers.
source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
Under the new cap, the mackerel fishing fleet (primarily composed of trawlers) will risk early closure if they are unable to successfully avoid river herring and shad.
The catch cap is one of several protective measures slated to take effect next year as part of Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
The amendment also calls for increased reporting and monitoring requirements for fishermen and dealers.
source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
Friday, December 28, 2012
2013 New Jersey American Shad Regulations
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife recently announced new regulations regarding American shad fisheries.
Effective January 1, 2013, all American shad fisheries (both commercial and recreational), with the exception of the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries, will be closed (no possession, take or harvest).
The recreational possession limit in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will now be 3 fish with no minimum size and an open season all year.
Commercial net regulations for American shad in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will remain the same.
The new regulations were implmented to comply with Amendment 3 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) management plan for American shad and river herring.
Amendment 3 of the ASMFC fishery management plan for American shad prohibits both the recreational and commercial harvest of American shad in the waters of states that do not have an ASMFC-approved sustainable management plan.
Working in conjunction with state partners from the Delaware River Basin Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (CO-OP), a sustainability plan for American shad was developed for the Delaware River estuary and subsequently approved by ASMFC's Shad and River Herring Board.
According to Division of Fish and Wildlife, insufficient information was available to develop sustainability plans for other American shad stocks along New Jersey's coast.
source: NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife
Effective January 1, 2013, all American shad fisheries (both commercial and recreational), with the exception of the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries, will be closed (no possession, take or harvest).
The recreational possession limit in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will now be 3 fish with no minimum size and an open season all year.
Commercial net regulations for American shad in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will remain the same.
The new regulations were implmented to comply with Amendment 3 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) management plan for American shad and river herring.
Amendment 3 of the ASMFC fishery management plan for American shad prohibits both the recreational and commercial harvest of American shad in the waters of states that do not have an ASMFC-approved sustainable management plan.
Working in conjunction with state partners from the Delaware River Basin Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (CO-OP), a sustainability plan for American shad was developed for the Delaware River estuary and subsequently approved by ASMFC's Shad and River Herring Board.
According to Division of Fish and Wildlife, insufficient information was available to develop sustainability plans for other American shad stocks along New Jersey's coast.
source: NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife
Monday, June 25, 2012
Connecticut River Herring Restoration
In 2010, culverts were replaced on Bride Brook in Connecticut. With the increased flow from the new, larger culvert, fish were able to swim upstream for the first time in more than a decade.
Culverts, which allow water to flow under roads and bridges, are everywhere. Culverts sometimes block fish from swimming upstream. Many old culverts are much more narrow than the streams that channel through them, and sometimes too high for fish to jump through. When this happens, fish can’t reach their spawning habitat upstream of the culvert.
The herring run on Bride Brook is the second largest in the state. In the 1970s, it was as high as 175,000 per year. But the culverts had reduced the run to less than half that number.
With tidal flows restored, adult river herring now have access upstream to Bride Lake to spawn, and juveniles can swim downstream to feed and grow in the ocean. Approximately 275,000 fish passed through the new culvert during the spring of 2012; more than triple what had seen in recent years.
A Similar project will replace tide gates on the West River in New Haven Connecticut. The improved tide gates will allow a more natural flow of water and improve fish passage.
source: NOAA FishNews
Culverts, which allow water to flow under roads and bridges, are everywhere. Culverts sometimes block fish from swimming upstream. Many old culverts are much more narrow than the streams that channel through them, and sometimes too high for fish to jump through. When this happens, fish can’t reach their spawning habitat upstream of the culvert.
The herring run on Bride Brook is the second largest in the state. In the 1970s, it was as high as 175,000 per year. But the culverts had reduced the run to less than half that number.
With tidal flows restored, adult river herring now have access upstream to Bride Lake to spawn, and juveniles can swim downstream to feed and grow in the ocean. Approximately 275,000 fish passed through the new culvert during the spring of 2012; more than triple what had seen in recent years.
A Similar project will replace tide gates on the West River in New Haven Connecticut. The improved tide gates will allow a more natural flow of water and improve fish passage.
source: NOAA FishNews
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan Amendments 14-15
The MAFMC recently approved Amendment 14 and initiated Amendment 15 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
According to the MAFMC, the measures seek to improve catch monitoring and reduce bycatch of river herrings (blueback and alewife) and shads (American and hickory) in the Atlantic mackerel and longfin squid fisheries.
The recommendations, if approved by The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), will be implemented via Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
River herrings and shads are among a number of important forage species in the Northeast region. Although they are not managed as directed fisheries, river herrings and shads are caught as incidental catch (bycatch) by trawlers fishing for mackerel and squid.
Concerns about river herrings and shads bycatch have escalated in recent months after an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) stock assessment indicated that 92% of the 24 assessed river herring stocks were depleted. The Council initiated Amendment 14 in response to a request from the ASMFC.
Amendment 14 includes a catch cap for river herrings and shads in the mackerel fishery beginning in 2014 and increased vessel and dealer reporting requirements. The Council recommended that NMFS increase observer coverage in the mackerel fishery and require 100% coverage on mid-water trawlers.
Amendment 15 could include provisions for setting Annual Catch Limits, identifying Essential Fish Habitat, and establishing joint management with management partners such as the New England Fishery Management Council and/or the ASMFC.
source: MAFMC
According to the MAFMC, the measures seek to improve catch monitoring and reduce bycatch of river herrings (blueback and alewife) and shads (American and hickory) in the Atlantic mackerel and longfin squid fisheries.
The recommendations, if approved by The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), will be implemented via Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
River herrings and shads are among a number of important forage species in the Northeast region. Although they are not managed as directed fisheries, river herrings and shads are caught as incidental catch (bycatch) by trawlers fishing for mackerel and squid.
Concerns about river herrings and shads bycatch have escalated in recent months after an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) stock assessment indicated that 92% of the 24 assessed river herring stocks were depleted. The Council initiated Amendment 14 in response to a request from the ASMFC.
Amendment 14 includes a catch cap for river herrings and shads in the mackerel fishery beginning in 2014 and increased vessel and dealer reporting requirements. The Council recommended that NMFS increase observer coverage in the mackerel fishery and require 100% coverage on mid-water trawlers.
Amendment 15 could include provisions for setting Annual Catch Limits, identifying Essential Fish Habitat, and establishing joint management with management partners such as the New England Fishery Management Council and/or the ASMFC.
source: MAFMC
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