06-13-2005, 09:59 AM
River Shad Migration Plummets
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Fish Counts May Be Smallest In 30 Years June 11, 2005By STEVE GRANT, Courant Staff Writer Numbers of American shad migrating up the Connecticut River to spawn this spring have crashed, with the run likely to be the smallest in three decades.
American shad are iconic in Connecticut, officially designated as the state fish, and prized both by anglers and diners.
So far the number of shad counted at a fish passageway at the Holyoke Dam totals only 109,596, the smallest number since at least 1976, when improvements were made at the dam and modern record keeping began. A count of several hundred thousand fish has been more typical over the years. In 1992, it was 720,000.
"If it's not the lowest, it's darn close," said Thomas Savoy, senior fisheries biologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection. "The only caveat is, that it isn't over yet."
Shad, which typically weigh 3 to 5 pounds, are still migrating up the river in small numbers as the run comes to an end, and the total fish count is likely to rise, but not substantially.
"I've been sport fishing for 40 years ... and it is the worst run I've experienced," said George Bernard, co-founder of the Haddam Shad Museum. "The situation is very bad."
The cause of the decline is not known for certain - and because shad spend much of their lives at sea, many factors could be involved - but some biologists strongly suspect that predation by striped bass is taking a big toll.
"I'm one of those guys blaming the striped bass for the last 10 years," Savoy said. "I'm not changing my tune."
Striped bass populations along the East Coast have grown rapidly since strict conservation measures were imposed in the 1980s, when bass populations crashed. Striped bass are a salt water species that can comfortably enter fresh water to feed. They do so in the Connecticut.
Savoy said the bass are likely to have been in the Connecticut River for many decades, but their numbers have soared over the past decade. They are so abundant in the Connecticut now that they have become a hugely popular sport species in the river.
"Certainly the striped bass can have an influence," said Bill Hyatt, director of inland fisheries for the DEP.
Savoy said the striped bass feed not only on smaller male adult shad, some weighing only 2 pounds, but also on young shad just heading out to sea for the first time.
Another possible factor was the weather this year. Cold and stormy weather in April and May delayed the shad run, and now, with hot weather suddenly arrived, river temperatures are rising rapidly, making for unusual conditions for the shad.
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Fish Counts May Be Smallest In 30 Years June 11, 2005By STEVE GRANT, Courant Staff Writer Numbers of American shad migrating up the Connecticut River to spawn this spring have crashed, with the run likely to be the smallest in three decades.American shad are iconic in Connecticut, officially designated as the state fish, and prized both by anglers and diners.
So far the number of shad counted at a fish passageway at the Holyoke Dam totals only 109,596, the smallest number since at least 1976, when improvements were made at the dam and modern record keeping began. A count of several hundred thousand fish has been more typical over the years. In 1992, it was 720,000.
"If it's not the lowest, it's darn close," said Thomas Savoy, senior fisheries biologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection. "The only caveat is, that it isn't over yet."
Shad, which typically weigh 3 to 5 pounds, are still migrating up the river in small numbers as the run comes to an end, and the total fish count is likely to rise, but not substantially.
"I've been sport fishing for 40 years ... and it is the worst run I've experienced," said George Bernard, co-founder of the Haddam Shad Museum. "The situation is very bad."
The cause of the decline is not known for certain - and because shad spend much of their lives at sea, many factors could be involved - but some biologists strongly suspect that predation by striped bass is taking a big toll.
"I'm one of those guys blaming the striped bass for the last 10 years," Savoy said. "I'm not changing my tune."
Striped bass populations along the East Coast have grown rapidly since strict conservation measures were imposed in the 1980s, when bass populations crashed. Striped bass are a salt water species that can comfortably enter fresh water to feed. They do so in the Connecticut.
Savoy said the bass are likely to have been in the Connecticut River for many decades, but their numbers have soared over the past decade. They are so abundant in the Connecticut now that they have become a hugely popular sport species in the river.
"Certainly the striped bass can have an influence," said Bill Hyatt, director of inland fisheries for the DEP.
Savoy said the striped bass feed not only on smaller male adult shad, some weighing only 2 pounds, but also on young shad just heading out to sea for the first time.
Another possible factor was the weather this year. Cold and stormy weather in April and May delayed the shad run, and now, with hot weather suddenly arrived, river temperatures are rising rapidly, making for unusual conditions for the shad.
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