In the coming weeks, many Maine towns will submit river herring harvest plans to the Maine Dept. of Marine Resources. This year, as those plans are evaluated, they will be held to a higher standard based on new federal regulations.
For years, towns planning to harvest river herring – alewives and blue-backed herring – have been required to submit harvest plans to DMR. This year, new federal regulations took effect Jan. 1 and place more strict rules on which areas will qualify to harvest river herring.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission governs river herring harvests. Their new rule, known as amendment 2, prohibits the taking of river herring in all state waters on the east coast unless a town or state submits a “sustainable management plan,” as defined by the ASMFC.
The ASMFC defines a sustainable fishery as “a commercial and/or recreational fishery that will not diminish the potential future stock reproduction and recruitment,” according to a press release issued following the passage of amendment 2 in 2010.
In order to qualify as a sustainable harvest, the town must show data indicating that their harvest will not adversely impact future generations of river herring.
Additionally, towns may only harvest fish that have been given a chance to reach spawning grounds. This is important for some local towns that have traditionally harvested river herring in open water beyond the mouths of rivers. No harvest of alewives except in rivers is permitted under amendment 2.
All towns intending to harvest river herring must submit harvest plans by April 20. Many towns will submit their plan earlier, because the fish begin to run earlier than the deadline and an approved plan must be in place before harvest may begin.
This year in Dresden, river herring have reportedly already begun their run.
In recent years, 24 Maine towns have operated river herring harvests. Of those, 19 are expected to be approved to harvest this year, said Claire Enterline, a DMR scientist.
Although nothing will be certain until harvest plans have been submitted and reviewed, Newcastle and Nobleboro, which submit a joint harvest plan, are expected to be approved to harvest in Damariscotta Mills again this year, Enterline said.
The other Lincoln County towns that operated active harvests last year and are expected to be approved again this year are: Alna in Long Pond; Dresden in Mill Pond/Mill creek; and Jefferson in Dyer/Long Pond.
It appears that several local towns, including Waldoboro, Bremen, Bristol and Boothbay Harbor will not be permitted to harvest river herring this year, Enterline said.
These towns will not be allowed to operate a harvest because they do not have sufficient data from previous years to demonstrate a sustainable harvest.
“We encourage all towns to retain their right to harvest alewives,” even if they are not permitted to operate a harvest this year, Enterline said. “If they can demonstrate a sustainable harvest in the future, they’ll be able to operate a fishery.”
Additionally, federal regulators are currently debating whether or not to place river herring on the endangered species list. If they are classified as endangered, all harvesting will be prohibited. A decision on the endangered species listing is expected this fall.
Many in Maine are opposed to the listing, including the Alewife Harvesters of Maine, a 120-member pro-fishing organization. The organization’s purpose is to “conserve while preserving Maine’s heritage,” said Jeff Pierce, founder and executive director of Alewife Harvesters of Maine.
“Down south, the listing might make sense,” Pierce said. Under amendment 2, only Maine and New Hampshire have enough river herring to qualify for a sustainable harvest. Because most river herring return to the same spawning grounds year after year, the populations of fish in Maine and New Hampshire are not the same populations as those in southern states.
Pierce said the only way to rebuild river herring populations, is to assess each river independently. “Every town and every state on the east coast has a different problem that affects their [river herring] population.”