Principles and Guidelines for River Herring Counting Programs Presentation (Plymouth)

Join Wildlands Trust and Herring Pond Watershed Association in hosting John Sheppard, Division of Marine Fisheries’ Diadromous Fisheries Biologist, as he presents “Principles and Guidelines for River Herring Counting Programs in Massachusetts with an Emphasis on Volunteer Visual Counts.”

River herring are comprised of two species (alewife and blueback herring) whose life history involves migrating between freshwater and marine environments to fulfill critical life cycle requirements. They serve critical roles in freshwater and marine foodwebs as forage species for both aquatic and terrestrial predators, as well as vectors for transferring nutrients from one environment to another. Since the turn of the century, river herring populations have declined significantly coastwide, prompting states to close commercial and recreational fisheries and to initiate biological monitoring programs to enhance both state and federal stock assessments. In recent years, public interest in counting river herring populations has increased, and volunteer counting groups have contributed to various aspects of river herring monitoring and management in Massachusetts.

This presentation will provide an overview of river herring life history, management and monitoring efforts in Massachusetts with an emphasis on the principles and guidelines for establishing visual counts. This presentation will also review methodologies for conducting visual counts and run size estimation, as well as applications and limitations of visual counts.

Join us in person or virtually to learn more about some of these exciting efforts and outcomes. This presentation will be recorded. Registration is required for this FREE event. Please register to attend either in person or online Here or on the Event Website.