ALEWIFE FISHERY OF MASSACHUSETTS 



By G. W. Field, 

 State Commissioner of Fisheries a7id Game, Boston, Mass. 



In Massachusetts the decline of the alewife {Pomolo- 

 bus pseudoharengus) or "branch or river herring" fish- 

 ery has for several years demanded the attention of the 

 Department of Fisheries and Game. 



During the past two years, a biological survey of the 

 various streams in the State has been undertaken with 

 the view of determining the present conditions, and what 

 methods could promise the successful re-establishment 

 of a fishery directly valuable to the shore towns, but 

 indirectly of still greater value to the public. It is upon 

 the result of this work that I desire to speak concerning 

 the past and present conditions in the alewife fishery 

 of Massachusetts. 



Ever since the landing of the Pilgrims, the alewife 

 fishery has been closely related to the progress or pover- 

 ty of the shore towns. The fishery not only supplied 

 food and fertilizer for the early inhabitants, but proved 

 of great value (though that fact is even yet unappreci- 

 ated) in attracting the large schools of fish such as pol- 

 lock, blue fish, striped bass, squeteague, mackerel and 

 other food fish, to our shores. With the decline of the 

 alewife fisheries, due to various causes, notably unwise 

 legislation leading to excessive fishing and the inroads 

 of "civilization," there has been a corresponding 

 decrease in the entire shore fisheries which demonstrates 

 that the success of the fishing towns of our coast is 

 dependent in considerable measure upon the condition 

 of the alewife fishery. Conditions at the present time 

 warrant the statement that by proper handling and 

 restriction the fisheries of many streams can be brought 

 back to their state of former abundance. 



Natural History of the Alewife. — The alewife or 

 branch herring is a member of the great herring family 

 or Clupeidae and belongs to that class which ascends 

 the tidal rivers for the purpose of spawning. It has 



