The spawning runs of the adults begin the latter part of April and the runs 

 may continue on into June. Average length of the migrating adults is 1 inches 

 although they commonly reach a length of one foot. The fish move up to the 

 spawning grounds during daylight hours. Most of the runs are restricted to a 

 few miles although runs of 20 miles are not uncommon. Many times during 

 the end of the run ripe fish coming up to spawn are passing spent fish on their 

 way back to the ocean. Alewives spawn in fresh-water ponds. Females deposit 

 from 60,000 to 100,000 eggs depending on the size. No parental care is given 

 the eggs. In a period averaging slightly under a week the young hatch. They 

 develop rapidly feeding on the minute animals and plants in the water. They 

 descend to salt water throughout the latter part of the summer usually in suc- 

 cessive waves at a length of 2 to 4 inches. 



In general the larger the lake available to the young the larger the alewife 

 run. To manage the fishery properly enough adult alewives to continue the run 

 must be permitted to escape the fishery. Obstructions must be provided with 

 fishways so constructed as to permit the free passage up and down of the adults 

 and the downward migration of the young each year. Runs have been reestab- 

 lished on occasion by planting mature adults. 



The alewives are fished in Maine with dip nets during their spawning 

 migrations upstream. Usually the fish are diverted into pools or runways where 

 they are easily dipped and removed. 



13 



