Connecticut was doing a great job restoring its herring runs. They fed our striped bass and bluefish, helped bring back the ospreys and eagles (their nesting is timed to coincide with the arrival of herring to feed their chicks), otters and many other wildlife species. Offshore, they feed bluefin tuna, whales and other pelagic creatures. Millions of taxpayer and corporate dollars were spent on fish ladders, dam removals and other components of herring restoration. Now a few boats out of Gloucester are decimating our herring in bycatch that they're allowed to sell.
We can again restore them, to the point where they can feed our wildlife and provide a thriving local commercial fishery if we do it right. Maine currently has such a situation. We just need to move the big commercial sea herring boats away from our river herring migrations during a few key months. Get the word out, let's make it happen.
There's an ASMFC Scoping Hearing on April 17th at the Hilton Hotel in Mystic, CT from 6:00-8:00pm. Let's flood the venue with proponents of rebuilding our herring runs once again. Click on the link and register.