Atlantic Anadromous Fisheries 



Unit 



3 



EMORY D ANDERSON 



JOHN F KOCIK 



GARY R SHEPHERD 



NMFS Northeast Fisheries 

 Science Center 



Woods Hole 

 Massachusetts 



INTRODUCTION 



The anadromous fishes ot the Atlantic sea- 

 board are a diverse group, including river herrings 

 (alewite and hlueback herring), American shad, 

 hickory shad, striped bass, Atlantic salmon, stur- 

 geons (Atlantic and shortnose), and rainbow smelt. 

 Regulation oi these stocks is likewise diverse: the 

 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 

 (ASMFC) has implemented fishery management 

 plans for shad, river herring, and Atlantic stur- 

 geon, while shortnose sturgeon are managed un- 

 der a recovery plan prepared under the Endan- 

 gered Species Act. Atlantic salmon are regulated 

 bv a New England Fisherv Management Council 

 fishery management plan and by the North At- 

 lantic Salmon Conservation Organization 

 (NASCO). Striped bass are regulated under an 



ASMFC fisherv management plan and bv special 

 Congressional authoriry under the Striped Bass 

 Conservation Act (implemented by the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. 

 Fish and Wildlife Service). 



Recent average landings ot Atlantic anadro- 

 mous species (Table 3-1; Figures 3-1 and 5-2} are 

 about 9,400 metric tons (t), hir below historic lev- 

 els. Several species have recreational importance 

 to the region (including American shad, striped 

 bass, and Atlantic salmon). Fhe recreational por- 

 tion of the recent average landings is dominated 

 bv striped bass which averaged 6,300 t annually 

 during 1995-97. 



Landings ot most Atlantic anadromous spe- 

 cies have declined greatly in recent years. River 

 herring catches peaked in 1965 at about 28,000 t 

 coast-wide, but have since declined to less than 



Striped bass. 



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