Table 1. 



-The original, 1896, and 1960 limits of shad range in 23 major rivers of the Atlantic coast of 

 United States. All data other than for 1960 from Stevenson ( 1899) 



the 



grounds to the lower river but were most 

 abundant over sand and gravel. Movement from 

 the river usually begins after the water tem- 

 perature has decreased to less than 15.5° C. 

 It is not until near the end of November or the 

 beginning of December that all the young have 

 left the tributaries of Chesapeake Bay (Hilde- 

 brand and Schroeder, 1928). The downstream 

 movement of young in the upper Delaware 

 River occurs during September and October 

 and appears to be expedited by a rapid lower- 

 ing of the water temperature, or an increase 

 in flow, or both (Sykes and Lehman, 1957). 



SPAWNING RUNS 



Most shad spawn for the first time when 4 

 or 5 yr. old; males mature and spawn at an 

 earlier average age tham females. Afew males 

 spawn for the first time at an age of 2 or 3 

 yr., and a few females spawn for the first 

 time at 3 or 4 yr. Age distribution at capture 

 and number of previous spawnings for shad 

 from certain rivers of the Atlantic coast are 

 given in table 2. No fish had spawned previously 

 in the South Atlantic (St. Johns, Ogeechee, 

 Edisto, and Neuse Rivers) except in the Neuse 



