Life History Characteristics of Juvenile Alewife in Freshwater Ponds

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) populations are typically assessed by counting adult fish as they enter spawning habitats. However, there is seldom an account of the resulting juvenile production within freshwater habitat.  As a result, there is a lack of data pertaining to juvenile life history and factors that influence nursery productivity.  The objective of our research is to examine alewife young of year age, mortality, and growth rates among 20 freshwater lakes and ponds in eastern Massachusetts. Preliminary results of a spring 2013 relocation of 428 adult alewife in three separate pulses to an isolated but previously occupied pond and 2014 expansion to an additional 20 existing runs with estimates of adult escapement will be presented. Juvenile sampling throughout the summer allows examination of the effects of landscape characteristics and habitat quality on juvenile age, growth, and mortality. Our research will help develop a more complete understanding of the role of habitat quality and cohort dynamics towards improving alewife restoration priorities throughout their native range.