90 



or systematic catching, and no alewives have ever been able 

 to get past the dam at Marshfield Milage. 



Little opportunity is offered for immediate improvement, 

 owing to the numerous cranberry bogs on its upper branches, 

 lack of suitable spawning grounds, and the presence of at least 

 two dams in Marshfield, which prevent the passage of alewives. 

 A limited development is possible by equipping these dams 

 with fishways, and thus provide better spawning grounds. 



Island Creek. 



Island Creek rises in Island Creek Pond, Duxbury, and flows 

 south for 1^ miles to Kingston Bay. It is from 6 to 8 feet 

 wide, and forms a small millpond about halfway along its 

 course. Fifteen years ago the fishway at this dam was de- 

 stroyed and has never been replaced. Alewives ascend the 

 stream as far as this dam, where a few are taken each year, 

 and some are carried over it to the millpond, thus maintaining 

 the fishery. In 1912, 200 were placed in the millpond, and in 

 1913 about 2,000 alewives were caught out of the brook. The 

 fishery has always been public, except at one period when the 

 privilege was sold to the owners of the dam. 



Island Creek offers a favorable opportunity for rehabilitation 

 of a small fishery by establishing a fishway at the millpond, 

 and clearing a passageway to Island Creek Pond, so that the 

 alewives may reach the headwaters for spawning. 



Back River. 



Back River, a small stream passing near the village of Dux- 

 bury, forms a small ice pond before it empties into Duxbury 

 Bay. Alewives run up this river, but no definite fishery is car- 

 ried on. The limited area of spawning grounds prohibits the 

 possibility of establishing a fishery of any importance. 



Jones River. 



Jones River flows from Silver Lake to Kingston Bay over a 



9 to 10 mile course, and in its lower part is navigable for small 



crafts for 2.1 miles. As tributaries it receives Smelt, Furnace, 



Stony, Crossman's and Jones River brooks. Two dams obstruct 



