River herring are remarkable fish that are overlooked today for the important role they once played in the ecology and history of the Ipswich River. The once thriving herring run of the Ipswich has almost entirely disappeared due to dams and other obstructions along the river as well as low flows. The Ipswich River should still be able to support a thriving herring run under the right conditions. Volunteer monitoring of the herring population has taken place since 1999, one of the longest running herring counts in the region. This has provided valuable information to track the status of this important fish, while we work to restore river health that will benefit herring as well as many types of fish and wildlife.
Herring monitoring is an important part of our clean water and restoration programs. River herring are migratory fish, meaning they travel between the river and the ocean on their annual spawning run, so they require enough clean, flowing water as well as the ability to reach their preferred spawning areas. Obstacles like dams and road crossings slow the river and block access at critical points. For instance, the South Middleton Dam has no fish ladder and if removed, would open up 56 miles of stream network to river herring and other fish species. Road crossing culverts were also evaluated throughout the watershed for fish and wildlife passage to help towns plan for future upgrades.
The status of the river herring population is a good indicator of how well connected the waterbodies comprising the watershed are. The volunteer herring count has been the main effort to monitor trends in the herring population and what we know is that far fewer herring are returning from year to year than would be expected for a coastal river like the Ipswich. This year, volunteer counters spotted only 12 herring swimming up the fish ladder in Ipswich. This work is a great example of how the clean water and restoration programs are working to make a difference for the future of the Ipswich River. By working with volunteers, agencies and communities to improve fish passage, restore flows and protect water quality, river herring can once again thrive. You can help by participating in future herring counts, water quality monitoring and river cleanups as well as doing your part to keep clean water in the river through water conservation.
[blog_subscription_form title=”Subscribe For More River Updates”]