Event Title

Session A9: Rangewide River Herring Recovery: A Habitat Perspective

Location

Groningen, The Netherlands

Event Website

http://fishpassage.umass.edu/

Start Date

24-6-2015 4:00 PM

End Date

24-6-2015 4:15 PM

Description

Abstract:

River herring (alewife and blueback herring) are anadromous alosines that play important ecological roles and historically comprised major U.S. fisheries. Stocks are at historically low levels Atlantic coast-wide, which lead to a status review to determine if listing as Threatened species was warranted. In August 2013 National Marine Fisheries Service declined to list the species, but initiated a coastwide conservation planning process to fill some of the research gaps, address uncertainty in the data, and revisit the status of both species with new information. The Plan will identify important conservation efforts that can be implemented to help restore river herring throughout their entire range from Canada to Florida, track the implementation of these efforts, identify research needed to fill in critical data gaps, and monitor the progress of restoring these important species. Interdisciplinary working groups focused on habitat, climate change, fisheries management, genetics, stock status, species interactions, and ecosystem integration. This session will explore the findings to date of the Habitat working group including threats, strategies, research priorities, and current cooperative research related to habitat drivers of river herring status such as connectivity, landuse, water quality and water quantity. Since river herring occupy a wide range of ecosystems along the entire East Coast of North America, identifying and addressing significant threats to river herring may provide important benefits to other diadromous and riverine species.

Comments

Presenting Author Bio: Alison Bowdenis Freshwater Program Director with The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. Her work focuses on developing and implementing innovative science and policy tools to protect and restore rivers, as well as linking freshwater and marine conservation for migratory fish. She works on a wide range of policy issues including transportation, environmental permitting, water resource management and fisheries management. She is a member of the NOAA River Herring Technical Expert Working Group, ASMFC Shad and River Herring Advisory Panel, and Taunton River Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Jun 24th, 4:00 PM Jun 24th, 4:15 PM

Session A9: Rangewide River Herring Recovery: A Habitat Perspective

Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract:

River herring (alewife and blueback herring) are anadromous alosines that play important ecological roles and historically comprised major U.S. fisheries. Stocks are at historically low levels Atlantic coast-wide, which lead to a status review to determine if listing as Threatened species was warranted. In August 2013 National Marine Fisheries Service declined to list the species, but initiated a coastwide conservation planning process to fill some of the research gaps, address uncertainty in the data, and revisit the status of both species with new information. The Plan will identify important conservation efforts that can be implemented to help restore river herring throughout their entire range from Canada to Florida, track the implementation of these efforts, identify research needed to fill in critical data gaps, and monitor the progress of restoring these important species. Interdisciplinary working groups focused on habitat, climate change, fisheries management, genetics, stock status, species interactions, and ecosystem integration. This session will explore the findings to date of the Habitat working group including threats, strategies, research priorities, and current cooperative research related to habitat drivers of river herring status such as connectivity, landuse, water quality and water quantity. Since river herring occupy a wide range of ecosystems along the entire East Coast of North America, identifying and addressing significant threats to river herring may provide important benefits to other diadromous and riverine species.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June24/43