Coast-Wide River Herring Conservation Planning for the Near Term (2014-2019)

In August 2013, after conducting a review of the status of river herring throughout their range, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a not warranted Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing decision for the species. The status review contains the most up to date information on alewife and blueback herring stock structure and population trajectories into the foreseeable future. Several significant research gaps (e.g., marine migration patterns and the effects of climate change on both species) and uncertainty associated with some datasets were identified as important issues.  Thus, in the ESA listing decision, NMFS committed to working to fill some of the research gaps, address uncertainty in the data, and revisit the status of both species within the next 5 years.  In collaboration with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, NMFS plans to work with our partners to develop a dynamic proactive conservation plan for river herring. 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.