Conservation propagation techniques for alewife and blueback herring

Anadromous stocks of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (A. aestivalis) along the Atlantic Coast have declined to record low levels.  Resource agencies are considering management actions to reverse this trend, and hatcheries are likely to play a role in providing young-of-year for restoration stockings and/or research studies.  Culture techniques for these two species are neither well-established nor well-documented.  However, several hatcheries have experimented with both strip-spawning and tank-spawning propagation methods.  Their experiences will be presented, and the pros and cons of the protocols utilized will be discussed.