Saltheart
05-13-2005, 09:21 AM
Our Herring Run is closed for the season!
"The fishway is in trouble and we need your cooperation to restore our run."
Town of Harwich, Massachusetts
Herring Regulations 2004
TAKING OF HERRING PROHIBITED
1. The Harwich herring run at Depot Street, W. Harwich and all areas along Herring River, its tributary streams and headwater ponds will be closed to the taking of herring (alewives) for the next three years (through 2006).
2. Signs will be prominently posted at the herring ladder area off Depot Street to indicate “Taking of Herring (alewives) Prohibited”.
3. Security gates will replace any existing chain gates off Depot Street in W. Harwich. Gates will be swing-gate style.
4. Vehicular access to the Johnson Flume parking area for public viewing purposes or freshwater fishing will be allowed Saturdays and Sundays only from 9 AM to 3 PM when the entrance gate will be unlocked and opened.
5. The taking of alewives is prohibited from Skinnequit Brook and Skinnequit Pond.
POLICE TAKE NOTICE
Cyd Zeigler
Bruce Gibson
Peter Hughes
Robert Widegren
Harwich Board of Selectmen voted January 26, 2004
Harwich Votes Three-Year Moratorium On Herring Harvest
HARWICH - (1/29/03) There will be no taking of herring from the town runs for the next three years. Selectmen Monday night voted to put in place a moratorium to protect the dwindling resource. An initial concept for protection was floated by Tom Leach, Natural Resources Director, who recommended limits be reduced and a prohibition be put in place for the 2006 season to protect juvenile alewives and help regenerate the resource, an idea that was supported by the Division of Marine Fisheries. Leach said he did not think the board would be ready to act immediately on a moratorium. But Selectman Cyd Zeigler questioned the delay, pointing out if the town waits too long the run could be lost. He said there has been a degradation of the entire run over the past 15 years.
The poor condition of the run has been caused by three years of drought. The water levels in the spawning headwaters from 2000 to 2003 were so low, fry were unable to get through the connecting streams at Long Pond to return to the ocean. The juvenile fish languishing in the ponds became food for small mouth bass and pickerel. The vast majority of alewives returning to spawning grounds are of the three-year class, though there are some four and five-year classes. But the impact of the drought was obvious this year with herring wardens reporting “only one significant day at the run.” The natural resources officer expressed concern for losing the run if additional fish are removed from the reproductive cycle.
The regulations approved by selectmen close the runs through the 2006 season. The closure includes the run at Johnson’s flume in West Harwich and along the Herring River , its tributary streams and headwater ponds. The taking of alewives is also prohibited from Skinnequit Brook and pond.
It should be noted that other areas have also closed their runs for extended periods of time, including the entire state of Connecticut for conservancy. Harwich closed its run in the early 1800s because of similar concerns.
MGL Chapter 130 section 95: Whoever takes, kills or hauls onshore or disturbs, injures, hinders or obstructs the passage of any herring, alewives or other swimming marine food fish in a fishery created by a city or town, without its permission, contrary to its regulations, shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars. Prosecutions under this section shall be commenced within thirty days of the offense.
"The fishway is in trouble and we need your cooperation to restore our run."
Town of Harwich, Massachusetts
Herring Regulations 2004
TAKING OF HERRING PROHIBITED
1. The Harwich herring run at Depot Street, W. Harwich and all areas along Herring River, its tributary streams and headwater ponds will be closed to the taking of herring (alewives) for the next three years (through 2006).
2. Signs will be prominently posted at the herring ladder area off Depot Street to indicate “Taking of Herring (alewives) Prohibited”.
3. Security gates will replace any existing chain gates off Depot Street in W. Harwich. Gates will be swing-gate style.
4. Vehicular access to the Johnson Flume parking area for public viewing purposes or freshwater fishing will be allowed Saturdays and Sundays only from 9 AM to 3 PM when the entrance gate will be unlocked and opened.
5. The taking of alewives is prohibited from Skinnequit Brook and Skinnequit Pond.
POLICE TAKE NOTICE
Cyd Zeigler
Bruce Gibson
Peter Hughes
Robert Widegren
Harwich Board of Selectmen voted January 26, 2004
Harwich Votes Three-Year Moratorium On Herring Harvest
HARWICH - (1/29/03) There will be no taking of herring from the town runs for the next three years. Selectmen Monday night voted to put in place a moratorium to protect the dwindling resource. An initial concept for protection was floated by Tom Leach, Natural Resources Director, who recommended limits be reduced and a prohibition be put in place for the 2006 season to protect juvenile alewives and help regenerate the resource, an idea that was supported by the Division of Marine Fisheries. Leach said he did not think the board would be ready to act immediately on a moratorium. But Selectman Cyd Zeigler questioned the delay, pointing out if the town waits too long the run could be lost. He said there has been a degradation of the entire run over the past 15 years.
The poor condition of the run has been caused by three years of drought. The water levels in the spawning headwaters from 2000 to 2003 were so low, fry were unable to get through the connecting streams at Long Pond to return to the ocean. The juvenile fish languishing in the ponds became food for small mouth bass and pickerel. The vast majority of alewives returning to spawning grounds are of the three-year class, though there are some four and five-year classes. But the impact of the drought was obvious this year with herring wardens reporting “only one significant day at the run.” The natural resources officer expressed concern for losing the run if additional fish are removed from the reproductive cycle.
The regulations approved by selectmen close the runs through the 2006 season. The closure includes the run at Johnson’s flume in West Harwich and along the Herring River , its tributary streams and headwater ponds. The taking of alewives is also prohibited from Skinnequit Brook and pond.
It should be noted that other areas have also closed their runs for extended periods of time, including the entire state of Connecticut for conservancy. Harwich closed its run in the early 1800s because of similar concerns.
MGL Chapter 130 section 95: Whoever takes, kills or hauls onshore or disturbs, injures, hinders or obstructs the passage of any herring, alewives or other swimming marine food fish in a fishery created by a city or town, without its permission, contrary to its regulations, shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars. Prosecutions under this section shall be commenced within thirty days of the offense.