How are the runs going? I'm hearing that out on the Vineyard the runs are off from the past. Cold spring and offshore trawlers are some of the possible factors; also two bad drought years three and four years ago could have hurt the recruitment. What about the Cape, Buzzards Bay, Sakonnet River, Narragansett Bay, and the runs in Long Island Sound?
Just wondering about this year and the state of the alewife. I know that it is still to early to say with any accuracy, just how do you rate what you are seeing or hearing in the streams and rivers.

Middleboro, largest in Mass., seems loaded as usual. Ton of water in the river though. Don't think the bluebacks are here yet either. Just have to see how long they last to judge if it is good or lite. Paul

I have heard that the cormorants aren't even hanging around the Tiverton run and Ron's father at Breachway B&T said the Gilert Stuart run has hardly any fish in it as well.

yup... Gils place is deviod of herring :(

i wonder what caused this????? :huh:

I know one particular run that has gone down in #'s big time....it doesn't take a biologist to figure out poaching has taken its toll. Yelling matches at the run ain't no fun.

its the worse I,ve ever seen // & I,ve been to over 8 different runs in the past 10 days ////never mind the 5 or 6 just over the line in Massachusetts :doh:

I've seen SOME in the run closest to me.Nowhere near what I've seen in the past.

There was a good push a couple weeks ago at Gils, but sense then its been sparse . Ive been checking a 5 others every couple days and havent seen a single one in those personally, but did see a few scales around the bank. The DEM has been out a LOT more at the runs this season checking. Also saw them loading up a herrig truck to stock another area , last week.

John..
Echoing above, the beer crowd at 3p mirrored what I've seen when I stop by for a walk... The run has seemed to be 'pulsing' I thought the high rain was the cuprit, coupled with a lot of NE, NW wind.... but now I'm stymied...
Saw evidence of herring in other parts of the river... I'll call you later and we'll chat...
B

The CTDEP has closed all runs for the taking of herring for the last couple of years. I cannot understand why the surrounding states are so slow in recognizing that there is a problem. Sure there will always be poachers, but something has to be done.

I think they need to look closer at what is going on with the offshore herring vessels, like the Russian processing ships that are supposed to be targetting Atlantic Herring. I have been told by State Fisheries biologists that it is difficult to tell the difference between an Atlantic herring and a river run herring. I believe that they do not have a full understanding of what those boats are doing to the fishery as a whole.

John:
Worked the Run on Friday and Sat. NADA. Got a few the week before.

Gotta say again what a great job the dem has been doing this year!! 80% of the time ive been at a run , ive been checked by the DEM. Others ive talked to there have said theve been checked almost everytime there.They also have been out patrolling in unmarked vehicles and have been out a lot late night 1-4am :btu: .

Is this a blueback herring?, or are alewifes and bluebacks the same. They were feeding on acres of these, pic is very blurry though. Sandeels???
Thanks

We have cormorants coming out the ass already down here. If it would make you feel better, and I can get the SOBs to listen to me, I'll gladly send them north :D

We have cormorants coming out the ass already down here. If it would make you feel better, and I can get the SOBs to listen to me, I'll gladly send them north :D


Same here. In Deal lake a small pond with a flume directley adjacent to the ocean i saw at least 20 of them.they apeared out of no where's over the last 4-5 yrs.These things are eating machine's.20 cormarants can eat hundreds of herring per day.They also have quite a liking for stocked trout.they have been a real concern in the great lakes for years.to the point where some guides have gone on late night shooting spree's wit buckets of shells.Why doesn't fish an game do something I guess they will wait till there are no fish to replenish no body of water is safe an all fry are easy targets.they are at the present time a protected bird that status has to change.

Hi John. The 4 places I check REGULARLY have been devoid of herring. It has seemed a downward trend here for a couple years but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Herring return in 4 or 5 years to the rivers they were born in. So the note about drouts of 4-5 years ago makes some sense too.

The poaching that does go on is effin' stupid but I don't think it is the major faults of the herring problems. Sure, people grabbing a bunch of herring plus the commercial free reign on the runs for lobster bait is a problem. And every swinging richard taking a bunch of herring now as they are swiming upstream to spawn are are not doing the fish a service. PLEASE let them spawn before you take them. Sure, they are a bit beaten up on the down swing but they have spawned.

Chef - A lot of those herring trucks with transplanted herring are probably from the Middleboro system. That is apparently where the bulk of the transplants come from. The thought being those transplanted fry will come back in 4-5 years once mature...

I fear that by far the largest problem with the herring is that offshore pair trawl fishery.

Be prepared for more stringent rules or a no take in RI next year. All in the name of russian fertilizer :af:

Is this a blueback herring?, or are alewifes and bluebacks the same. They were feeding on acres of these, pic is very blurry though. Sandeels???
Thanks
The one on the top in the pic looks like a atalntic sea herring.they are generally much thinner than alewife's.They may be longer also. they usually show up here in NJ in late nov-dec. blue backs are for the most part smaller than alewifes an well... more blue.Also not as hardy for livelinen they don't hold up well at all.

I noticed that these seemed to have a turquois sp? hue on spots on there back. SO theyre atlantic herring?

Why do the russians travel halfway around the world to take our herring? Did their fisheries already collapse on them? Are other closer fisheries too wise to let them in? What do we get in return for letting them fish here? Are the powers that be selling us out?

Why aren't they american - or at least canadian boats selling them to the russian market?

I believe the Russia ships are after sea herring, not the alwives/bluebacks etc...

-spence

you are right, atlantic herring is what they are AFTER. Do they throw back EVERY bycatch river herring? Even if they do how much damage does it do to a herring to be netted, boated, sorted, then tossed back.


Atlantic herring are important forage for large stripers. River herring don't seem to be doing very well, if the atlantic herring become overfished what impact will that have on your fishing, in terms of both the size and numbers.

The Ship is right off jamestown, not out in the ocean, so it means that atlantic herring are still generally inshore. Less bait there will make it less attractive to stripers.

The ship(s) off Jamestown is(are) factory ship(s).The fish are caught by locals and are in turn processed on the ships.The Russians themselves aren't doing any fishing,only processing.Its about supply and demand.And politics of course.