Outdoors Magazine
April 5th, 2004, 10:54 PM
Prohibition On The Taking Of Alewife And Blueback Herring From Connecticut
Waters Extended For Another Year
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that, effective
immediately, the taking of alewives and blueback herring from inland and
marine waters of the State of Connecticut is prohibited. This action was
initially taken in April of 2002 and then extended in 2003 with an
expiration date of March 31, 2004. The current action by DEP Commissioner
Arthur J. Rocque, Jr. extends the prohibition through March 31, 2005. "The
DEP initially took this action because river herring populations have
declined to historically low levels, potentially compromising their ability
to sustain themselves," said Commissioner Rocque, "In the subsequent years,
biologists have continued to monitor river herring runs statewide to
determine the status of these populations. During the past twelve months
there has been no evidence of a recovery. Therefore it is prudent to
continue this prohibition to protect these species."
River herring is a term used to collectively refer to alewife and the
blueback herring. Both species are anadromous, which means they hatch in
freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow, then return to freshwater to
spawn. Historically, river herring runs into Connecticut rivers and streams
have numbered into the millions; however, runs have been declining steadily
since 1990. While the reasons for the decline are not fully understood, DEP
staff believe predation by increasingly abundant striped bass is an
important factor.
"River herring are important to our freshwater, marine and estuarine
ecosystems because adult herring and their young provide food for a variety
of predators including freshwater gamefish, marine gamefish, osprey, bald
eagle, harbor seals, porpoise, egrets, kingfishers, and river otter," said
Edward Parker, Chief of DEP's Bureau of Natural Resources. DEP wildlife
biologists have noted that strong runs of river herring enhance the survival
rate of osprey chicks.
Non-migratory alewife populations are also established in several lakes and
ponds in Connecticut, however, these landlocked populations are not
experiencing similar declines. The DEP prohibition does not include
landlocked alewives from Amos Lake, Ball Pond, Beach Pond, Candlewood Lake,
Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Lake Quassapaug, Lake Quonnipaug, Rogers Lake,
Squantz Pond, Uncas Pond, and Lake Waramaug. Alewives in these lakes may
still be taken by angling and scoop net as established in state statute and
regulation.
The DEP indicates that the prohibition on the taking of river herring would
be in place throughout 2004 and would likely extend into the future.
"Protecting wild fish populations is one of our top priorities. We will
closely monitor the progress of the runs and will recommend an end to the
prohibition once river herring have recovered to the point where we believe
that they are out of danger," said Parker. Monitoring conducted during 2002
and 2003 indicated that the river herring stocks remained depressed, noting
that the number of blueback herring counted at the fishway at the first dam
on the Connecticut River reached an all-time low in 2003.
The DEP does not expect river herring populations to recover immediately.
"We believe that the fishery closure may reduce the threat of further
population declines and that it may enable river herring populations to
recover more quickly in years when striped bass are less abundant,"
explained Parker. The local abundance of striped bass can not be controlled
since they are highly migratory and harvest is constrained by a coast-wide
management plan.
The DEP will continue its other efforts to enhance river herring stocks by
transplanting adult herring from streams with healthy runs into streams
where runs have been eliminated or greatly depleted, removing obsolete dams
and building fishways that allow fish to migrate past remaining dams. In an
effort to learn more about river herring in the state, DEP is funding a
two-year study conducted by a graduate student at the University of
Connecticut. The study, which focuses on coastal streams and one Connecticut
river tributary, will conclude at the end of this year and is expected to
provide additional scientific information that will assist in assessing the
status of river herring populations in Connecticut.
Cyndi Redmond (860) 424-4100
Steve Gephard (860-434-6043)
--
James Ehlers
Outdoors Magazine
www.outdoorsmagazine.net
Waters Extended For Another Year
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that, effective
immediately, the taking of alewives and blueback herring from inland and
marine waters of the State of Connecticut is prohibited. This action was
initially taken in April of 2002 and then extended in 2003 with an
expiration date of March 31, 2004. The current action by DEP Commissioner
Arthur J. Rocque, Jr. extends the prohibition through March 31, 2005. "The
DEP initially took this action because river herring populations have
declined to historically low levels, potentially compromising their ability
to sustain themselves," said Commissioner Rocque, "In the subsequent years,
biologists have continued to monitor river herring runs statewide to
determine the status of these populations. During the past twelve months
there has been no evidence of a recovery. Therefore it is prudent to
continue this prohibition to protect these species."
River herring is a term used to collectively refer to alewife and the
blueback herring. Both species are anadromous, which means they hatch in
freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow, then return to freshwater to
spawn. Historically, river herring runs into Connecticut rivers and streams
have numbered into the millions; however, runs have been declining steadily
since 1990. While the reasons for the decline are not fully understood, DEP
staff believe predation by increasingly abundant striped bass is an
important factor.
"River herring are important to our freshwater, marine and estuarine
ecosystems because adult herring and their young provide food for a variety
of predators including freshwater gamefish, marine gamefish, osprey, bald
eagle, harbor seals, porpoise, egrets, kingfishers, and river otter," said
Edward Parker, Chief of DEP's Bureau of Natural Resources. DEP wildlife
biologists have noted that strong runs of river herring enhance the survival
rate of osprey chicks.
Non-migratory alewife populations are also established in several lakes and
ponds in Connecticut, however, these landlocked populations are not
experiencing similar declines. The DEP prohibition does not include
landlocked alewives from Amos Lake, Ball Pond, Beach Pond, Candlewood Lake,
Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Lake Quassapaug, Lake Quonnipaug, Rogers Lake,
Squantz Pond, Uncas Pond, and Lake Waramaug. Alewives in these lakes may
still be taken by angling and scoop net as established in state statute and
regulation.
The DEP indicates that the prohibition on the taking of river herring would
be in place throughout 2004 and would likely extend into the future.
"Protecting wild fish populations is one of our top priorities. We will
closely monitor the progress of the runs and will recommend an end to the
prohibition once river herring have recovered to the point where we believe
that they are out of danger," said Parker. Monitoring conducted during 2002
and 2003 indicated that the river herring stocks remained depressed, noting
that the number of blueback herring counted at the fishway at the first dam
on the Connecticut River reached an all-time low in 2003.
The DEP does not expect river herring populations to recover immediately.
"We believe that the fishery closure may reduce the threat of further
population declines and that it may enable river herring populations to
recover more quickly in years when striped bass are less abundant,"
explained Parker. The local abundance of striped bass can not be controlled
since they are highly migratory and harvest is constrained by a coast-wide
management plan.
The DEP will continue its other efforts to enhance river herring stocks by
transplanting adult herring from streams with healthy runs into streams
where runs have been eliminated or greatly depleted, removing obsolete dams
and building fishways that allow fish to migrate past remaining dams. In an
effort to learn more about river herring in the state, DEP is funding a
two-year study conducted by a graduate student at the University of
Connecticut. The study, which focuses on coastal streams and one Connecticut
river tributary, will conclude at the end of this year and is expected to
provide additional scientific information that will assist in assessing the
status of river herring populations in Connecticut.
Cyndi Redmond (860) 424-4100
Steve Gephard (860-434-6043)
--
James Ehlers
Outdoors Magazine
www.outdoorsmagazine.net