Pair Trawlers Banned from Inshore GOM Waters

[Diggin Jiggin]

Originally Posted by Offshore

Sea (Atlantic) Herring do not spawn in coastal streams, but at sea. It is the River Herring and Alewife that spawn in your coastal streams. But, they (alewife) mix with sea herring near shore in spring-summer and that's why pair trawling has been banned inshore during that time.

Bill, I know a little about the alewifes but nothing about sea herring, that's why I asked when they started to show. What I really wanted to know is where they are in relation to the alewifes now and over the next 5 weeks. Do they only mix after the alewifes spawn or do they travel together.

The first of the river herring are showing up now. You've still got 5 full weeks till that ban goes into effect. Where are the sea herring now in relation to the schools of alewifes that our making their journey to spawn. They are both offshore somewhere... I am hoping they are no where near each other, as the bulk of returning alewifes will be coming to spawn in the next 4 weeks, and you still have 5 weeks till that ban goes into effect.

Also as I understand it the alewife only spawn at a certain point in their life cycle. So where are the ones that aren't spawning this year, are they anywhere near those sea herring???

[timw]

Sandman, there is quite a bit of money available for restoration projects. The Army Corp, NOAA, American Rivers and other government agencies and non profits have good restoration grant programs. It is up to folks at the local level to go out and get them and put them to good use. As fisherman and people concerned with these matters it is up to us to take the bull by the horns and make it work for our concerns.

[Offshore]

Diggin,
The times when the River Herring mix with the sea Herring varies. The experts claim the S.Herring come inshore as the water warms and can be there between May and Sept. The R.Herring begin spawning now through July but some don't drop down to the salt until later. The inshore pair trawling ban is as much guess-work as knowledge, IMHO. At least they are trying to take some preventative measures.

[JohnR]

But the sea herring boats that access the processing ships, how far offshore are those boats? If they are here through late winter, is there a comingling happening between the river and sea herring fisheries?

[Offshore]

I don't know where you see them, John but there are no processing boats from the cape north. Haven't been for years. Those pair-trawlers are operating mostly out of Gloucester, New Bedford and Portland and land their fish in those ports and Boston. Depending on the season, they fish up on Jeffries and down off the Jersey shore.