Harwich Herrin Run

[macojoe]

The harwich herrin run will be CLOSED for the next 3 YEARS!!
They are going to replace the chain gate with a security gate and there will be no asses unless there is someone there!! But No herrin for 3 years!!

[macojoe]

Herring Run closed.Harwich votes three-year moratorium on 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 suggested limits be reduced and a prohibition be put in place for the 2006 season to protect juvenile alewives and help regenerate the resource. Leach said he did not think the board would be ready to act immediately on a moratorium. But Selectmen 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. Leach said 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.

[RickBomba]

UUGGH!
You hear that Mikey!!!!!!!!!!!
This is no kind of thread hijack, either!
WOW!!!
At least I live close to the Watertown run.
How about the run off Setucket?
Rick

[bassmaster]

ha ha

[capesams]

low water my a$$...the clowns at the other end of the run wanted to keep the water level up in the pond so they never took the boards out ...all summer into the fall, the fry got eaten cause they couldn't get out.....this was seen by someone who lives right next to the pond/run....harwich just didn't want to deal with all the jerks that came to the run with their tanks the size of the truck an take 300 herrin at a time to sell off cape on the black market.

[vineyardblues]

I agree with Capesam on this one, I have been going to this run for over 20 + years . I remember going to "the other" harwitch runs that are now gone because ??? they build houses

I like fishing with them but I guess I will just have to get them down the road now in ******** ,

speaking of run's... The Vineyard has 2 of the best in the whole state. If not the best !

Remember they had a little trouble their last year ...lol

VB

[Rappin Mikey]

I am very angry. I guess I'll have to stock up on them around here. What's next?? Better start stocking up on plugs.

[Mr. Sandman]

We have had some problems with break-ins, damage and paoching and it is upsetting to know that fisherman are doing this.
I have a feeling they will get nabbed this year...

IMO they should close down all the runs everywhere for 5 years and build more runs during this period. Herring are in a lot worse shape the you think. We need to build up stocks and clean up our act.
I only plan on taking a few this season. Just enough to make a few live line trips.

[capesams]

you need to shut down the off shore herrin boats, not the run's

[JohnR]

And you need to keep the runs in OK shape. There was an interesting speaker from Mass DWF a couple months ago that went inito a fair amount of detail on what it takes to manage a run and keep it healthy. Problem is, the Towns are not willing to expend the resources to correctly manage them - both in terms of public's access to the herring but the conditions and performance of the run itself. A LOT of contributing factors go into a healthy run.

Shutting down the runs won't do as much as a properly managed run would.

[tlapinski]

Originally posted by capesams
you need to shut down the off shore herrin boats, not the run's

exactly!

[Mr. Sandman]

Yes you do need to shut down the boats I agree. But we need to improve the spawning situation at the same time. Why on earth do we take fish loaded with roe on the way up? This logic escapes me.

[scarecrow]

Originally posted by capesams
you need to shut down the off shore herrin boats, not the run's

couldnt be said better than that.

[JohnR]

Originally posted by Mr. Sandman
Why on earth do we take fish loaded with roe on the way up? This logic escapes me.

Precisely - and its a management decision. Perhaps (and I know people will beech moand and scream) there should be a date, say after April 23rd or May 1st for the taking of herring if you're getting them yourself or when having them dished out by a local run manager (as some runs are) the dates are open - to help seperate prespawn from postspawn fish.

A couple times last year I mentioned to people taking the herring still coming up stream. If I did't get an f'u, I got a "If I don't take 'em someone else will". People just don't give a rat's butt about it.

Personally - I try to take the ones going down stream.

[Nebe]

as far as Run maitanence, I wonder if the states would allow fishing clubs to maintain them...kind of like an 'adopt a spot' I know the one in wakefield is kind of clogged at the top with sticks. I considered going down and unclogging it, but didnt want to attract attention.

[capesams]

the salties have been cleaning runs on the cape for 15 years or better. towns are always calling an out we go..it's now gottin to the point where the towns expect it..they could put towns crews on it,,, but why should we do it when we have those fools to do the work for us for free.....you would think you could get one herrin for all that work, but noooo!