[squiddler]

1st, the Russian ship was not allowed to fish, only to purchase from our (US) fisherman, so stop right there. 2nd, there are river herring, and sea herring, and both are in huge trouble, no matter what someones eyes might tell them. There are trawlers all over the New England waters, all year round, netting the sea herring by the thousands of pounds, and they dock in local piers, and sell their catch to the highest bidder, just like every other fishery known to American man so to speak. The bulk of herring caught are not used as bait, except in chum and oil as they are a delicate fish and lots of "chuff" by-product comes from the procccesing plants to provide plenty for this purpose. Herring does not freeze all that well, thats why you don't see it in flats like many other bait sized fish are. As to its live bait effectiveness, I don't think anyone will argue that it is a killer bait, but let's explore the ability of the common man to keep herring around, live and kicking, for a cost as well as time effective bait.
The way I see it, it is too difficult to keep more than a few alive unless you have a car large enough and in an area where it will get enough tidal flow to keep them alive, as well as protected to keep critters or fellow man out of them. Not to mention the constant vigil for dead fish, as one will quickly lead to many dead. Enough about my opinions as to its merit as a bait, and back to the basic issue, which is should there be a closing of all runs. Absolutely is the answer. You've had your 5 or 10 year study in the counting of these fish that so many members here seem to deem necessary, not with a man with a clicker, but by optical counters installed in many prominent runs on the eastern seaboard. The numbers are so drastically and dramatically down from their historic past that I find it difficult to believe any well informed person would declare that because there are thousands in an isolated area that the stocks are fine, never mind many other tell tale signs which obviously point to a severly depleted stock.
These river herring in question return every spring to the same general areas off the coast, and then the ancient call to spawn draws them into the river and stream systems of our watershed, but as to whether it is the exact river or stream, no definitive answer is agreed upon by those that study them. However, as witnessed everywhere, fish attempt to get into streams and rivers, long ago closed off by dams or spillways. Take Newport, RI as a prime example. Every so often, herring show directly off 1st beach, and even a few make it into the moat to die. These fish could not have been born in the big pond, as the spawn cycle is roughly a 4-5 year time frame from fry stage. Other rivers reopened after many years to the sea supported herring runs in subsequent years.
This was along time ago though, as the thousands have now turned into hundreds or none at all at even the most prolific herring runs of old. From NY north through the Cape and beyond, the last 4 years have been a severe and steady decline in returning numbers. No returning fish means no new fry in the ponds. That means in 4 years time, poof, gone, bye bye. An immediate shutdown is necessary to determine if the current 1, 2 and 3 year old fry can turn around the depletion that this year(4th) will have produced. Any available adults left to spawn in the next 2-4 years should be allowed to do so without interference from man, as the ospreys, stripers, and other natural predators will pick off quite a few without our help. Can you honestly tell me that a closure would really put that much of a hurt on the recreational fisherman?
Don't think a fishery could crash that quickly? Ask your local Atlantic Salmon what he thinks. Very similar life cycles..........