American Shad & River Herring Monitoring Program
Since 1998, scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science have monitored the spawning run of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in the James, York and Rappahannock rivers. The information gathered from this program help to assess the population of American shad in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In addition to the monitoring program, researchers gather information on the American shad by-catch fishery established by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Samples are collected from cooperating fishermen who obtain a by-catch collection permit.
Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) are collectively known as river herring. In 2015, a river herring spawning stock survey on the Chickahominy River was initiated using anchored gill nets. The survey was expanded in 2018 to include anchor gill nets on the Rappahannock River. Another component of the survey is nighttime trawling to measure the abundance of juvenile river herring. This monitoring program is the only fishery-independent program in Virginia. The information gathered provides federally mandated monitoring data on American shad and river herring populations in Virginia.
The immediate objective of this study is to provide managers, principally the Virginia Marine Resources Commission(VMRC) and the Atlantic Stats Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), with contemporary information for assessment of American shad and river herring stocks in Virginia's rivers. This monitoring program and its annual report to the American Shad and River Herring Technical Committee fulfill Virginia's responsibilities to the ASMFC. Our primary long-term goal is to provide a comprehensive plan of assessing stock status and management options for stocks of American shad and river herring in Virginia.