| 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 are
presently depressed or in decline. A benchmark assessment of river
herring populations in scheduled to be completed in 2012.
Amendment 1, Technical Addendum 1 and Addendum I to the Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for American Shad and River Herring are
the current management documents for American shad, hickory shad,
alewife, and blueback herring. Amendment 1 established a five-year
phase out of the ocean-intercept fishery for American shad that
closed the fishery 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, with all jurisdictions maintaining existing or more conservative
recreational regulations for river herring. At present, the Commission
is developing two amendments to the FMP. One in response to the
America shad assessment and the other intended to address declines
in river herring stocks by controlling fishing mortality.
<species
profile> <habitat fact sheets -- Alewife,
Blueback,
Am.
Shad and Hickory
Shad>
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