Shad and river herring are anadromous fish that spend the majority of their adult lives at sea, only returning to freshwater in the spring to spawn. Historically, shad and river herring spawned in virtually every river and tributary along the coast. Species of shad and river herring once supported the largest and most important commercial and recreational fisheries along the Atlantic coast. Sadly, since colonial times, the blockage of spawning rivers by dams and other impediments, combined with habitat degradation and overfishing, have severely depleted shad and river herring populations. In 2007, the Commission completed a benchmark stock assessment for American shad that indicated that most stocks have significantly declined from historic levels and do not appear to be recovering. A benchmark assessment of river herring populations is scheduled to be completed in 2011.

American and hickory shad are currently managed under Amendment 1, Technical Addendum 1 and Addendum I to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Shad and River Herring. These management documents established a five-year phase out of the ocean-intercept fishery for American shad, with complete closure by January 1, 2005. In addition, Amendment 1 has required fishing mortality targets for specific American shad in-river fisheries and implemented an aggregate 10-fish daily creel limit in recreational fisheries for American shad and hickory shad. Alewife and blueback herring (collectively termed river herring) are managed under Amendment 2 to the FMP for Shad and River Herring. The Amendment requires that state and jurisdictions develop sustainable fishery plans in order to maintain a commercial and/or recreational river herring fishery. Fisheries without such plans will be required to close by January 1, 2012. At present, the Commission is developing Amendment 3 to the FMP for Shad and River Herring in response to the recommendations from the 2007 America shad stock assessment. <shad species profile> <river herring species profile> <habitat fact sheets -- Alewife, Blueback, Am. Shad and Hickory Shad>

Contacts

• Kate Taylor, FMP Coordinator
• Management Board
  • Chair, Paul Diodati
• Technical Committee
  • Chair, Bob Sadzinski
• Advisory Panel
  • Chair, Byron Young

Management Plans & Actions

• Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Shad and River Herring (River Herring Management) (May 2009)
• Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Shad & River Herring (April 1999)
  • Technical Addendum I (February 2000)
  • Addendum I (August 2002)

Upcoming Meetings

Reports

• FMP Reviews 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
• Stock Assessment Reports
  • American Shad Terms of Reference & Advisory Report (August 2007)
  • American Shad Stock Assessment Report for Peer Review: Volume I - Stock Assessment Overview (August 2007)
  • American Shad Stock Assessment Report for Peer Review: Volume II - State-Specific Assessments for Maine to Delaware River and Bay (August 2007)
  • American Shad Stock Assessment Report for Peer Review: Volume III: State-Specific Assessments for Maryland to Florida (August 2007)
  • American Shad & Atlantic Sturgeon Stock Assessment Peer Review: Terms of Reference and Advisory Report (conducted March 1998; printed July 1998)
  • American Shad Stock Assessment Peer Review Report (March 1998)
  • Stock Assessment of River Herring from Selected Atlantic Coast Rivers (November 1990)
  • Stock Assessment for American Shad from Selected Atlantic Coast Rivers (October 1988)
• Atlantic Coast Diadromous Fish Habitat: A Review of Utilization, Threats, Recommendations for Conservation, and Research Needs (January 2009)

Pending Actions for Public Input

Press Releases

ASMFC Approves American Shad Amendment. States Water Fisheries to be Closed by January 1, 2013 unless Sustainability is Demonstrated; Promotes Catch and Release Recreational Fisheries (February 5, 2010)

States Schedule Public Hearings on Shad Draft Amendment 3 (September 11, 2009)

Shad & River Herring Board Approves Draft Amentment 3 for Public Comment (August 20, 2009)

ASMFC Approves River Herring Amendment (May 7, 2009)

States Schedule Hearings on Draft River Herring Amendment: Public Comment Accepted Until January 1, 2009 and Supplemental Statement by the Chair of the Shad and River Herring Management Board (September 26, 2008)

ASMFC Shad and River Herring Board Releases Draft River Herring Amendment for Public Comment and Review and Supplemental Statement by the Chair of the Shad and River Herring Management Board (August 21, 2008)

States Schedule Hearings on Shad Public Information Document: Public Comment Accepted Until July 25, 2008 (May 30, 2008)

ASMFC Shad Board Releases American Shad PID for Public Comment and Review (May 19, 2008)

States Schedule Public Hearings on River Herring PID (November 27, 2007)

ASMFC Shad Board Releases River Herring PID for Public Comment and Review (November 9, 2007)

ASMFC Shad Board Initiates Development of Amendment 3 to the Shad & River Herring Plan: Amendment to Address Major Findings of Benchmark Stock Assessment (November 1, 2007)

ASMFC American Shad Stock Assessment Passes Peer Review: Findings Indicate that Most Shad Stocks Are Not Recovering (August 16, 2007)