Abstract: Dams have been, and still are, a major limiting factor in the restoration of anadromous river herring (alewife and blueback herring) in many river systems along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. In other areas, however, factors such as water quality, predation, and other types of habitat alteration may be a far greater threat to the restoration of these species than dams. An increase in impervious surfaces due to land conversion in the Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound has been linked to decreased recruitment success in river herring and Pacific salmon, respectively. A prioritization of threats and restoration needs related to habitat for river herring was undertaken in a number of watersheds along the Atlantic Coast including the Chesapeake Bay, the Connecticut, Delaware, and Hudson rivers as well as the Santee-Cooper watershed. Recruitment declines from stormwater runoff, habitat loss and altered prey/predator regimes were common themes across the coast and may be limiting recovery overall. Developing strategies to address these threats will be critical to successful restoration of these species.