An Assessment of River Herring Stocks in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-46

G. A. Nelson, P. D. Brady, J. J. Sheppard, M. P. Armstrong

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Department of Fish and Game Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

Technical Report Technical January 2011

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report Series Managing Editor: Michael P. Armstrong Scientific Editor: Bruce T. Estrella

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Reports present information and data pertinent to the management, biology and commercial and recreational fisheries of anadromous, estuarine, and marine organisms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and adjacent waters. The series presents information in a timely fashion that is of limited scope or is useful to a smaller, specific audience and therefore may not be appropriate for national or international journals. Included in this series are data summaries, reports of monitoring programs, and results of studies that are directed at specific management problems.

All Reports in the series are available for download in PDF format at: http://www.mass.gov/marinefisheries/publications/technical.htm or hard copies may be obtained from the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station, 30 Emerson Ave., Gloucester, MA 01930 USA (978-282-0308).

TR-1 McKiernan, D.J., and D.E. Pierce. 1995. The Loligo squid fishery in Nantucket and Vineyard Sound. TR-2 McBride, H.M., and T.B. Hoopes. 2001. 1999 Lobster fishery statistics. TR-3 McKiernan, D.J., R. Johnston, and W. Hoffman. 1999. Southern Gulf of Maine raised footrope trawl experimental whiting fishery. TR-4 Nelson, G.A, M.P. Armstrong, and T.B. Hoopes. 2001. Massachusetts 2000 striped bass monitoring report. TR-5 Chase, B.C., and A.R. Childs. 2002. Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) spawning habitat in the Weymouth-Fore River. TR-6 Chase, B.C., J. Plouff, and W. Castonguay. 2002. A study of the marine resources of Salem Sound, 1997. TR-7 Estrella, B.T., and R.P. Glenn. 2001. Massachusetts coastal commercial lobster sampling program May-November 2000. TR-8 Estrella, B.T. 2002. Techniques for live storage and shipping of American lobster, third edition. TR-9 McBride, H.M., and T.B. Hoopes. 2002. 2000 lobster fishery statistics. TR-10 Sheppard, J.J, M.P. Armstrong, D.J. McKiernan and D.E. Pierce 2003. Characterization of the Massachusetts scup (Stenotomus chrysops) fisheries. TR-11 Nelson, G.A., and T.B. Hoopes. 2002. Massachusetts 2001 striped bass fisheries monitoring report. TR-12 Howe, A. B., S. J. Correia, T. P. Currier, J. King, and R. Johnston. 2002. Spatial distribution of ages 0 and 1 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) off the Eastern Massachusetts coast, relative to ‘Habitat Area of Special Concern’. TR-13 Dean, M.J., K.A. Lundy, and T.B. Hoopes. 2002. 2001 Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics. TR-14 Estrella, B.T., and R.P. Glenn. 2002. Massachusetts coastal commercial lobster trap sampling program, May- November 2001. TR-15 Reback, K.E., P.D. Brady, K.D. McLauglin, and C.G. Milliken. 2004. A survey of anadromous fish passage in coastal Massachusetts: Part 1. Southeastern Massachusetts. TR-16 Reback, K.E., P.D. Brady, K.D. McLauglin, and C.G. Milliken. 2004. A survey of anadromous fish passage in coastal Massachusetts: Part 2. Cape Cod and the Islands. TR-17 Reback, K.E., P.D. Brady, K.D. McLauglin, and C.G. Milliken. 2004. A survey of anadromous fish passage in coastal Massachusetts: Part 3. South Coastal. TR-18 Reback, K.E., P.D. Brady, K.D. McLauglin, and C.G. Milliken. 2004. A survey of anadromous fish passage in coastal Massachusetts: Part 4. Boston and North Coastal. TR-19 Nelson, G.A. 2003. 2002 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-20 Dean, M.J., K.A. Lundy, and T.B. Hoopes. 2003. 2002 Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics. TR-21 Nelson, G.A. 2004. 2003 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-22 Lyman, E.G. and D.J. McKiernan. 2005. Scale modeling of fixed-fishing gear to compare and quantify differently configured buoyline and groundline profiles: an investigation of entanglement threat. TR-23 Dean, M.J., K.A. Lundy, and T.B. Hoopes. 2005. 2003 Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics. TR-24 Nelson, G.A. 2005. 2004 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-25 Nelson, G.A. 2006. A guide to statistical sampling for the estimation of river herring run size using visual counts. TR-26 Dean, M. J., S. R. Reed, and T. B. Hoopes. 2006. 2004 Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics. TR-27 Estrella, B. T., and R. P. Glenn. 2006. Lobster trap escape vent selectivity. TR-28 Nelson, G. A. 2006. 2005 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-29 Glenn, R., T. Pugh, J. Barber, and D. Chosid. 2007. 2005 Massachusetts lobster monitoring and stock status report. TR-30 Chase, B. C. 2006. Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) spawning habitat on the Gulf of Maine coast of Massachusetts. TR-31 Dean, M.J., S. R. Reed, and T.B. Hoopes. 2007. 2005 Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics. TR-32 Nelson, G. A. 2007. 2006 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-33 Chase, B. C., Plouff, J. H., and M. Gabriel. 2007. An evaluation of the use of egg transfers and habitat restoration to establish an anadromous rainbow smelt spawning population.

Continued on inside back cover

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-46

An Assessment of River Herring Stocks in Massachusetts

Gary A. Nelson, Phillips D. Brady, John J. Sheppard, and Michael P. Armstrong Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 30 Emerson Avenue Gloucester, MA 01930

January, 2011

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, Governor Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., Secretary Department of Fish and Game Mary B. Griffin, Commissioner Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Paul Diodati, Director

Summary: Data on abundance, size structure and age composition were used to assess the current status of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) in Massachusetts rivers. Count data for three rivers (Parker River, Monument River and Mattapoisett River) indicated a precipitous decline in alewife abundance after 2000. A strong decline was not observed in the Nemasket River, but average passage count after 2004 (587,000 fish) was about half of the average passage count prior to 2004 (1.04 million fish). Abundance has increased slowly in each river since about 2006-2008. A decline in the Monument River run size of blueback herring was not observed until after 2004 and total run size remains low. Size data from the Monument River and Stony Brook showed that the average total lengths of alewife and blueback herring have declined by about 20-27 mm over time. The current maximum age of both species is 1-2 years less than the maximum age observed during 1985-1987. The proportions of alewives that were repeat spawners in the Monument River declined in recent years by 64% or more compared to data from 1986-1987. In other rivers, proportions of repeated spawners as high as 0.54 (Charles River) were observed, but most estimates were below 0.21 in recent years. Similar reductions in proportions of repeat spawners were observed for blueback herring in the Monument River. Re- sults from the statistical catch-at-age model, and estimates of total instantaneous mortality from age, repeat spawner, and length data showed that total mortality of alewife in the Monument River during the late 1990s increased by at least 20% compared to the earlier part of the time series. Potential causes of the declines in size, increases in total mortality and population declines are discussed.

Introduction variety of freshwater environments in Massachusetts, bluebacks spawn in more riverine In Massachusetts, more than 100 coastal rivers areas, while alewives tend to spawn in more and streams are home to the anadromous alewife lacustrine (ponds and lakes) areas. Alewives begin (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback (Alosa to spawn in late March to mid-May when water aestivalis) herring. Known colloquially as “river o temperature reach about 10.5 C , but they have been herring”, these fishes are ecologically-important observed in Massachusetts streams as early as because they are forage for many marine and February and, in one instance, January. Bluebacks freshwater fish predators such as striped bass begin to spawn later in the spring (late April (Morone saxatilis), cod (Gadus morhua), and through June) when water temperatures reach about yellow perch (Perca flavescens) as well as birds o 13.9 C. Blueback eggs are semi-buoyant and tend (Loesch, 1987). In addition, they are a key link in to drift with the current while alewife eggs will the transfer of nutrients from freshwater to marine remain in contact with the substrate. After utilizing systems and vice versa (Mullen et al., 1986). River the freshwater habitat for a nursery area for most of herring provide recreational and cultural benefits to the summer, juvenile herring begin their migration citizens who value them for food and bait. to the ocean in July. Peak migration occurs in In recent years, river herring abundance in September on Cape Cod (Kosa and Mather, 2001; several runs throughout Massachusetts have Yako et al., 2002) and it continues through declined to historical low levels. The declines December. Once in the marine environment, river prompted the Massachusetts Division of Marine herring feed on zooplankton such as Fisheries (DMF) to establish in 2005 a three-year microcrustaceans, fish eggs and fish larvae moratorium on the sale and harvest of river herring (Munroe, 2002). Maturity occurs between 3 to 5 throughout state. In addition, the National Marine years of age and the fish return to their natal Fisheries Service has listed blueback herring and streams utilizing their olfactory sense to guide them alewife as “species of concern”. This report to home waters. summarizes historical and current data on abundance, population characteristics, and mortality of river herring for the determination of the status of Description of Management Units the stocks. Herring runs in Massachusetts are managed directly by DMF or by local town governments with DMF oversight. General Life History

Both blueback herring and alewives are found in many coastal stream systems in Massachusetts. While both species are capable of spawning in a

1 40 35

15 Moratorium

25 fish/day (million) Pounds 10 5

0 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Year Figure 1. Massachusetts commercial landings of river herring, 1887-2010.

Fisheries Descriptions very small fraction of the historical highs and most harvest occurred using dipnets and beach seines. Commercial Fishery. Historically, river herring Regulation of harvest limits in 1989 (25 fish/day) were one of the most valuable anadromous fishes by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts restricted harvested commercially in Massachusetts and sold landings further and by 1994, there was little river as food or commercial bait (Belding, 1921). Prior herring sold commercially at fish houses (Appendix to the 1950s, annual landings were 5 million pound Table 1; Figure 1). Since 2005, there has been a or less (Appendix Table 1; Figure 1). Landings moratorium on the possession and sale of river increased dramatically during the late 50s-early 60s herring in Massachusetts. (peak: 33 million pounds in 1958) as foreign fleets, using purse seines, exploited herring on Georges The landings data reported by NMFS are Bank (Appendix Table 1; Figure 1). By the early- underestimated because of poor or no record- 1980s, after the establishment of the exclusive keeping of harvest by towns with herring runs. economic zone, river herring landings were only a Since the 1980s, DMF has collected annual harvest

140 Monument River (Combined Herring) Mattapoisett River (Alewife) Nemasket River (Alewife) 120

100

Number (thousands) 20

0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year

Figure 2. Number of fish removed (for bait, stocking, or scientific samples) from three Massachusetts rivers, 1980-2010.

data from the towns of Middleboro, Bournedale, to the Tribe’s regulatory authority. Reported and Mattapoisett with herring runs on the Nemasket harvests are provided to DMF and harvest ranges River, Monument River and Mattapoisett River, from about 1,200 fish to 3,500 fish per year, with respectively (Figure 2). removals coming from several rivers. Bycatch in Commercial Fisheries. The issue of river herring bycatch is receiving a lot of attention at this time. Bycatch of river herring does occur in Fishery Regulations commercial fisheries that are targeting other Currently, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts species. Quantification of this take is difficult to is in the sixth year of a harvest moratorium for estimate and efforts are being made to improve river herring. Beginning in 2005, the moratorium monitoring and reporting of this source of mortality. was scheduled to expire on January 1, 2009, but The commercial mid-water trawl, pair trawls and lack of recovery prompted an extension of the purse seine fisheries for Atlantic herring are moratorium through 2011. The Massachusetts becoming a point of focus. Cieri et al. (2008) Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission approved reported that bycatch of river herring from the in November of 2008 the following regulations on Atlantic herring fishery ranged from 171,973 the Harvest, Possession and Sale of River Herring pounds to 1.68 million pounds during 2005-2007. in the Commonwealth , 322-CMR Section 6:17: Periodic reports of by-catch are also received from the long fin and short fin squid, whiting, and (1) Purpose. 322 CMR 6.00 is promulgated to northern shrimp fisheries as well as menhaden bait establish consistent state management of river fisheries. Reports are often anecdotal and not well herring fisheries. documented. In addition small numbers of illegal (2) Definitions. harvest (poaching) are usually reported to the Environmental Police each spring. These types of (a) “River Herring” means those species of fish losses contribute to the total mortality of alewife known as alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and and blueback herring but the actual extent and bluebacks (Alosa aestivalis). amount is poorly known at this time. In the Atlantic (b) “Batch” means all fish in any separate herring fishery, only 5% of the total landings are container. allowed to contain river herring as bycatch. In response to these bycatch issues, in 2008, DMF (c) “Container” means any box, tote, bag, initiated a comprehensive monitoring program for bucket or other receptacle containing loose fish river herring bycatch in the Atlantic herring fishery. which may be separated from the entire load or shipment. Recreational Fishery. Historically, there have been few reports of river herring being taken by (3) Taking and Possession of River Herring in recreational anglers for food. More often, river Waters under the Jurisdiction of the herring were taken for bait. The Marine Commonwealth. It shall be unlawful for any Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) person to harvest, possess or sell river herring estimates of the numbers of river herring harvested in the Commonwealth or in the waters under the and released by anglers in Massachusetts are very jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. imprecise and show little trend (Appendix Table 2). (4) Exceptions. The Director may authorize the Since spring of 2005, there has been no recreational harvest and possession of river herring from a (bait) fishery for alewife and/or blueback herring particular spawning run for personal use based allowed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. on documentation that the spawning run from Subsistence Fishery. The only subsistence river which herring are harvested is not depleted. herring fishery currently conducted within (5) Tolerance for bait fisheries. No person shall Massachusetts is under a Memorandum of possess any batch of fish where more than 5% Understanding (MOU) between the Commonwealth of the total is comprised of river herring species and the federally recognized Mashpee Wampanoag by count. Indian Tribe on Cape Cod. This understanding recognizes the Tribe’s aboriginal fishing rights and (6) Expiration. These measures shall expire on allows harvesting of river herring by Tribal January 1, 2012. members which is regulated by the Tribe pursuant

3 samples were collected at -random and sample sizes were too small to use in this assessment. Stocking Efforts Agawam River (Wareham) - The town of Wareham DMF conducts a trap and transport stocking has been estimating combined passage using an program for alewife and blueback herring. The electronic counter since 2006. Biological data three major objectives are to: 1) maintain and are available from only 1991. enhance existing populations, 2) restore historically important populations and 3) create new Back River (Weymouth) - The town of Weymouth’s populations where feasible. Stocking of gravid herring warden provides a “relative” passage river herring where river access has been provided estimate from his daily observations of run or improved is generally conducted for three or activity. No statistically-valid design is used. more consecutive years per system. Prior to the In 2007, DMF began characterizing the alewife moratorium the program transported between population under an NOAA Anadromous Fish 30,000 and 50,000 fish per year into ten to fifteen Conservation Act grant. DMF collected different systems. Since the moratorium, effort has biological data on size structure, sex been reduced to protect donor populations and composition, age structure, length-weight approximately 20,000 fish per year have been relationships and length-at-age relationships of deposited into five to ten systems. Many of the spawning populations (see Monument River recent efforts have been with-in system, moving below). fish upstream past multiple obstructions to the Bound Brook (Scituate) - The North and South headwater spawning habitat. Rivers Watershed Association began passage counts using visual estimation in 2010. No statistical design was used. There are no Fisheries-Independent Monitoring biological data. Data on alewife and blueback herring in Charles River (Boston) - The University of Massachusetts come from mostly historical and/or Massachusetts with assistance of DMF current work conducted by DMF, University of conducted video counts in 2008 and 2009. Massachusetts and federal scientists, and local Biological data are available from 1985 and citizen groups interested in protecting river herring 1993. resources. Figure 3 shows the rivers and locations for which fisheries-independent data are available. Connecticut River (Holyoke) - Fishlift counts have In this document, “passage” estimates are been made at the Holyoke Dam since 1967 for considered herring counts that, when added to the blueback herring by the US Fish and Wildlife harvest estimates, do not produce the total amount Service. The numbers are used by the State of of herring in the river system because the count Connecticut in their river herring assessment; location is situated above viable spawning habitat of therefore, the information is not discussed river herring (e.g., Nemasket River). “Escapement” herein to avoid duplication of effort. estimates are considered herring counts that, when Coonamessett River (Falmouth) - Falmouth added to harvest estimates, produce the total Department of Natural Resources has been amount of river herring in the system because the estimating passage using visual estimation since harvest and count locations are situated close to the 2005. There are no biological data available. river mouth (e.g., Monument River). Herring Brook, First (Scituate) - The North and All data are summarized by species and river in South Rivers Watershed Association conducted Appendix Table 3. The following gives a brief passage counts using visual estimation in 2005- description of data available: 2006. No statistical design was used. There are Acushnet River (New Bedford) - Since 2005, DMF no biological data available. has conducted a census of river herring entering Herring Brook, Second (Norwell) - The North and the spawning ground using a fish trap. South Rivers Watershed Association conducted Simultaneous estimation of passage by using an passage counts using visual estimation in 2005- electronic counter began in 2008, and video 2006. No statistical design was used. There are counting was attempted in 2008. DMF has also no biological data available. collected biological samples from dead fish, but

Figure 3. Massachusetts rivers for which historical and/or current data on river herring are available.

Herring Brook, Third (Norwell/Hanover) - The Herring River (Harwich) - The Association to North and South Rivers Watershed Association Preserve Cape Cod has been estimating passage conducted passage counts using visual numbers using visual counting since 2007. estimation in 2003, and 2005-2006. No There are no biological data available. statistical design was used. There are no Ipswich River (Ipswich) - The Ipswich Watershed biological data available. Association has been estimating passage using Herring River (Wellfleet) - The Association to visual counting since 2000. They’ve attempted Preserve Cape Cod has been estimating passage to use the statistical design of Rideout et al. numbers using visual counting since 2007. (1979) but prior to 2005, effort was not There are no biological data available. sufficient to provide reliable estimates. In 2006

5 -2008, DMF also made census counts by using to apportion abundance into species- and sex- a fishtrap. There are no biological data specific estimates (Brady, 1987). DMF often available. uses herring from this river as donor stock to other river systems. All numbers transported Jones River (Kingston) - The Jones River are added to harvest recorded by the Watershed Association has been conducting Bournedale fish warden to get total number of passage counts using visual estimation since removals. Scale ages are only available for 2005. There are no biological data available. 1984-1987, 1993, and 1995-present. Since the Little River (Gloucester) - Massachusetts Audubon counting location is not far above the catchment made passage counts using visual estimation basin where herring are removed, and both are during 2000-2002, 2005, and 2009. There are close to the river mouth, the total run size is no biological data available. estimated by adding escapement counts to removal numbers. Marston-Mills River (Marston-Mills) - Starting in 2007, a local watershed group provides visual Mystic River (Boston) - Since 2004, DMF has counts of combined herring passage at Mill characterized the alewife and blueback Pond dam in the Marston-Mills River. They populations under an NOAA Anadromous Fish use a stratified random design. There are no Conservation Act grant. DMF has collected historical or current data on population biological data on size structure, sex characteristics. composition, age structure, length-weight relationships and length-at-age relationships of Mattapoisett River (Mattapoisett) - Since 1988, spawning populations (see Monument River Alewives Anonymous has provided passage above). There are no estimates of run size counts of alewife using an electronic fish available. counter. Harvest data are also provided. In 1995, 2006 and 2007, DMF collected biological Nemasket River (Middleboro) - Since 1996, The data on size structure, sex composition, age town of Middleboro has provided visual counts structure, length-weight relationships and of alewife passage at the fishway off Wareham length-at-age relationships of spawning Street (river mile 7.5). The statistical design of populations (see Monument River below). Rideout et al. (1979) is used. Since 2004, DMF has characterized the alewife and blueback Merrimack River (Lawrence) - The only data populations under an NOAA Anadromous Fish available are the number of herring lifted at the Conservation Act grant. DMF has collected Essex and Pawtucket Dam fishlifts since 1983. biological data on size structure, sex Data are provided by the US Fish and Wildlife composition, age structure, length-weight Service. relationships and length-at-age relationships of Monument River (Bournedale) - DMF has been spawning populations (see Monument River scientifically monitoring the abundance, sex above). composition, length structure, age composition Parker River (Newbury) - Students and researchers and removals of alewife and blueback herring at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the Monument River since the early 1980s conducted several studies during the 1970s that (Churchill, 1981; O’Hara, 1980; Brady, 1987a, provide information on juvenile and adult b). Prior to 1985, abundance was estimated by population characteristics, abundance and using visual counts following the statistical migration of alewives (Beltz, 1975; Cohen, design of Rideout et al. (1979). Since 1985, 1976; Cole et al., 1976; Cole et al., 1978; escapement has been estimated by using a Huber, 1974; Jimenez, 1978; Libey, 1976; Smith-Root electronic fish counter that is Mayo, 1974; Rideout et al., 1979). Since 1997, calibrated daily. Fish entering the system are the Parker River Clean Water Association has sampled approximately weekly by using a been estimating passage numbers at the first dipnet. Fish samples are processed for length, dam using visual counting and the statistical sex, and age composition. All scales are aged design of Rideout et al. (1979). Due to high using the criteria of Rothschild (1963), Marcy flood waters of 2005 and 2006, a weir failed, (1969) and Kornegay (1977), and repeat making it difficult for alewives to pass. spawners are identified. Fish samples are used Passage counts since 2005 are probably biased.

There are no current data on population Massachusetts, and DMF have made visual characteristics. counts since 2008 and video counts were made in 2008 and 2009. Pilgrim Lake (Orleans) - The Association to Preserve Cape Cod has provided abundance Town River (Bridgewater) - The town of estimates of alewife passage using visual Bridgewater has made combined electronic counting and a stratified random design since passage counts of river herring (species 2008. combined) since 2000. There are no biological data available. Quashnet River (Falmouth/Mashpee) - In 2004, DMF characterized the alewife population Trunk River (Falmouth) - Falmouth Department of under an NOAA Anadromous Fish Natural Resources has been estimating passage Conservation Act grant. DMF collected since 2008. No statistical design is used. There biological data on size structure, sex are no biological data available. composition, age structure, length-weight Wankinco River (Wareham) - The town of relationships and length-at-age relationships of Wareham has made combined electronic spawning populations (see Monument River passage counts since 2007. There are no above). There are no estimates of passage biological data available. numbers available. Sippican River (Wareham) - Alewives Anonymous made electronic census counts of alewife Data Trends passage in 1995-2002 and 2006. There are no biological data available. Data for this assessment were stringently reviewed to provide the most reliable, scientifically- South River (Marshfield) - The North and South valid estimates of passage or total run size and Rivers Watershed Association conducted population characteristics. Therefore, not all data passage counts using visual estimation in 2006, summarized in Appendix Table 3 were used. 2008 and 2010. No statistical design was used. There are no biological data available. Trends in Run Size. The river estimates of passage counts and total run size used in this Stony Brook (Brewster) - The Association to assessment came from the Mattapoisett River, Preserve Cape Cod has provided estimates of Monument River, Nemasket River, Parker River, alewife passage numbers at the lower Mill Pond and Town River (Appendix Table 4; Figure 4). dam using visual counting and a stratified Some river estimates were deemed unusable random design since 2007. In 2004, DMF because 1) lack of statistical design (e.g., Back characterized the alewife population under an River), 2) non-reflectance of natural abundance NOAA Anadromous Fish Conservation Act trends (e.g., Merrimack River), or 3) shortness of grant. DMF collected biological data on size time series (e.g., Marston-Mills River, Stony Brook, structure, sex composition, age structure, length and Town Brook). -weight relationships and length-at-age relationships of spawning populations (see Matttapoisett River Monument River above). Mr. George A. Alewife - Passage estimates of alewife showed Kurlycheck, a Middle School teacher in increasing trends in numbers from 22,000 fish Harwich, collected average size data on alewife in 1988 to 130,000 fish in 2000 (Appendix (sexes combined) from 1978-2001. Table 4; Figure 4). Passage estimates dropped Town Brook (Plymouth) - Since 2004, DMF has precipitously through 2004 to 5,385 fish. characterized the alewife and blueback Passage size has increased gradually to 12,319 populations under an NOAA Anadromous Fish fish in 2010 (Appendix Table 4; Figure 4). Conservation Act grant. DMF has collected Monument River biological data on size structure, sex composition, age structure, length-weight Alewife - A fluctuating, but increasing trend in relationships and length-at-age relationships of total run size was evident from 1980 to 2000, spawning populations (see Monument River peaking at about 597,937 fish (Appendix Table above). The town of Plymouth, University of 4; Figure 4). Thereafter, it dropped precipitously through 2002 to 182,031 fish, and

7 140 120 Mattapoisett River 100 Alewife - Passage 80 60 40 20 0 Monument River 600 Blueback - Total Alewife - Total 400

200

0 Nemasket River 2000 Alewife - Passage 1500

1000

500 Number (thousand) 0

40 Parker River Alewife - Passage 30

20 Weir Detrition 10 Effect

0 300 Town River Alewife/Blueback - Passage 200

100

0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year

Figure 4. Passage and total run size counts for alewife and blueback herring in five Massachusetts Rivers.

then continued to decline through 2006 to the 2003 to 8,140 fish in 2007 (Appendix Table 4; lowest level observed in the time series (52,472 Figure 4). Abundance increased to 18,532 and fish). Alewife abundance has increased 30,356 fish in 2008 and 2009, respectively, but gradually since 2007 to an average of about dropped to 9,358 fish in 2010 (Appendix Table 119,354 fish. (Appendix Table 4; Figure 4). 4; Figure 4). Blueback - Total run size was highest during Nemasket River 1980-1991, averaging about 64,800 fish. Alewife - Passage numbers of alewife have Abundance was lower on average (41,000 fish) fluctuated considerably since 1996 (Appendix during 1992-2002 and it began to decline in

140 however, passage numbers averaged only Mattapoisett River 120 Parameters Estimate SE 39,373 fish (Appendix Table 4; Figure 4). logN0 10.14 0.417 100 logR1 0.12 0.054 logR2 -0.68 0.224 A simple population model was fitted to the alewife 80 C1 13.38 0.986 logR3 0.19 0.224 counts for the Mattapoisett River, Monument River 60 C2 18.13 1.059 40 R-square 0.95 and Nemasket River to estimate the net 20 “reproductive” rates:

0 t Monument River N t  N 0  R 600 Parameters Estimate SE logN0 11.22 0.380 logR1 0.08 0.028 where Nt is the count at time t, N0 is estimated 400 logR2 -0.36 0.224 C1 21.16 1.731 initial population size, and R is the net logR3 0.20 0.224 “reproductive” rate. R can be used as an indication 200 C2 26.80 1.614 R-square 0.80 that the population has remained stable over time (R=1), has increased (R>1), or has declined (R<1). 0 Number (thousand) Nemasket River The equation was linearized using natural-log 2000 Parameters Estimate SE logN0 13.73 0.697 transformation: logR1 0.02 0.146 1500 logR2 -0.32 0.999 C1 7.12 4.625 ln(N )  ln(N )  ln(R)  t 1000 logR3 0.13 0.169 t 0 C2 9.83 3.374 R-square 0.48 500 To simultaneously estimate the parameters for 0 periods of three different trends in counts, a 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 piecewise regression approach was used. The Year linear model was fitted separately to data from three periods, but models were linked so that the ending Figure 5. Observed (solid) and predicted (hollow) year for the first and second periods were also the passage or total run size counts for alewife and blue- intercept for the second and third periods: back herring in the Mattapoisett, Monument and Ne- ln(N )  ln(N )  ln(R ) t for t  C masket rivers. 1,t 1,0 1 1 ln(N2,t )  ln(N1,0)  C1  (ln(R1)  ln(R2))  ln(R2) t for t  C1 and t  C2 Table 4; Figure 4). Passage numbers averaged ln(N3,t )  ln(N1,0)  C1  (ln(R1)  ln(R2))  C2  (ln(R2)  ln(R3)) t for t  C2 910,000 fish prior to 2002, but following the peak (1.9 million fish) in 2003, numbers where C1 and C2 are the common years of change declined through 2005 to 401,000 fish. Since and other values are as described above. For this 2008, numbers have increased to 791,150 fish three period model, six parameters ln(N1,0), ln(R1), on average (Appendix Table 4; Figure 4). ln(R2), ln(R3), C1 and C2 were estimated using least- squares. Parker River Matttapoisett River Alewife - Passage counts of alewives fluctuated considerably during the 1970s, peaking at Alewife - The common times of change (C1 and 38,163 fish in 1973 and then declining to an C2) were estimated to be 13.4 (year 2000.4) and average of 11,256 fish between 1976-1978. 18.1 (year 2005.1), and the estimated net Passage counts were as high as 7,894 fish in “reproductive” rates was 1.12, 0.50, and 1.20 2000, exceeding the 1977 estimate of 6,654 for the first, second and third periods, fish, but declined to low levels by 2005 respectively. Passage counts in this river (Appendix Table 3; Figure 4). Since 2008, increased by 12% per year, on average, during passage numbers have increased slightly. 1988-2000, declined by 50% per year, on average, through 2005 and increased by 20% Town River per year, on average, after 2005 (Figure 5). Alewife/Blueback - Passage numbers of The high r-square value (0.95) indicated alewife and blueback herring (combined) have excellent model fit. fluctuated considerably since 2000 (Appendix Monument River Table 4; Figure 4). Passage numbers were as high 310,000 fish in 2003. In most years, Alewife - The common times of change (C1 and C2) were estimated as 21.2 (year 2000.2) and

9 26.8 (year 2005.8), and the estimated net Agawam River “reproductive” rates were 1.08, 0.69, and 1.22 Alewife - Age samples (n=71 for females; n=86 for the first, second, and third periods, for males) were available from 1991. The respectively. Total counts in this river youngest and oldest alewives observed on the increased by 8% per year, on average, during run were ages 3 and 7, respectively, for females 1988-2000, declined by 27% per year, on and ages 3 and 6, respectively, for males average, through 2005, and increased by 22% (Appendix Table 9; Figure 7) . Mean ages for per year, on average, from 2006-2010 (Figure female and male alewife in 1991 were 4.6 and 5). The high r-square value (0.80) indicated 4.3 years, respectively (Appendix Table 11). good model fit. Blueback - Age samples (n=6 for females; n=7 Nemasket River for males) were available from 1991. These Alewife - The common times of change (C1 and sample sizes were too small to provide accurate C2) were estimated as 7.1 (year 2002.1) and 9.8 observation on the youngest and oldest ages of (year 2004.8), and the estimated net blueback herring in the run. Mean ages for “reproductive” rates were 1.02, 0.73, and 1.14 female and male blueback herring in 1991 were for the first, second and third periods, not calculated due to small sample sizes respectively (Figure 5). Passage counts in this (Appendix Table 11). river increased by 2% per year, on average, Back River during 1996-2002, declined by 26% per year, on average, through 2004, and increased by Alewife - Age samples (n=210 for females; 14% per year, on average, from 2005-2010 n=228 for males) were available from 2007 for (Figure 5). The low r-square value (0.48) alewife only. The youngest and oldest alewives indicated poor model fit. observed in the run were ages 3 and 8, respectively, for females and ages 3 and 7, Trends in Size Structure. Raw length respectively, for males (Appendix Table 9; frequencies available for each river, species and sex Figure 7) . Mean ages for female and male are shown in Appendix Tables 5 and 6, and alewife in 2007 were 4.2 and 4.0 years, summary statistics for the length distributions are shown in Appendix Tables 7 and 8. Males of each 340 species are smaller in length than females of the Monument River same species, and blueback herring are smaller in Alewife - Female 320 Alewife - Male length than alewives. Comparison of average sizes Blueback - Female 300 among rivers showed that alewives collected in the Blueback - Male Monument River, Mystic River, Quashnet River, 280 Stony Brook, and Town Brook were about 10-30 mm smaller than alewives collected in the Back, 260 Mattapoisett, and Nemasket rivers (Appendix 240 Tables 7 and 8). Mean total length of both species 220 and sexes from the Monument River declined from Stony Brook - Alewife 320 1984 through the mid-1990s (Appendix Table 8; Sexes Combined Figure 6). Female and male alewives and blueback 300 DMF - Female herring sampled during 2004-2010 were about 20- DMF - Male 27 mm smaller, on average, than alewives and Mean Total Length (mm) 280 blueback herring of the same sex sampled during 260 1984-1987 (Appendix Table 8). Mean total length of alewife (sexes combined) in Stony Brook showed 240 a similar decline over time (Figure 6). 220 Trends In Age Composition.. Any available age 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year data regardless of the length of the time series were used in this assessment. Raw data are presented in Figure 6. Mean total lengths of alewife and blue- Appendix Tables 9 and 10. Mean age is presented back herring in the Monument River and Stony in Appendix Table 11. Brook, 1978-2010.

40 60 Agawam River Mattapoisett River 80 Quashnet River 50 1991 30 60 40 nf = 71 1995 2004 30 nm = 86 20 nf = 50 40 nf = 85 nm = 54 nm = 65 20 10 20 10 0 0 0 Back River Mattapoisett River Stony Brook 160 20 60 Number Number Number 2007 2006 120 15 2008 nf = 210 nf = 24 40 80 10 nm = 35 nf = 97 nm = 228 nm = 116 20 40 5 0 0 0 345678 345678 345678 Age Age Age

Figure 7. Age structure of alewife by sex (female: hollow bars; male: hash marks) in several Massachusetts rivers from intermittent sampling, 2004-2010. nf is female sample size and nm is male sample size.

respectively (Appendix Table 11). run were generally age 3 and 6 for both sexes, respectively, although older ages were observed Charles River infrequently (Appendix Table 10; Figure 9). Blueback - Age samples were available from Ages 7 and 8 were observed in larger samples 1985 and 1993. The youngest and oldest from 2007-2010. Ages 4 and 5 were the most alewives observed in the run were ages 3 and abundant age-classes. Comparison of the age 10, respectively, for females and ages 2 and 7, compositions between 1984-1987 and later respectively, for males (Appendix Table 9; years indicated that the maximum age of male Figure 8) . Mean ages for female and male and female alewife has decreased by one to two alewife were 5.2 and 4.4 years in 1985, years. Comparison of mean ages during 1985- respectively, and 4.8 and 4.0 in 1993 1987 to mean ages during 1993-2010 indicated (Appendix Table 11). a decline in mean age over time (Appendix Mattapoisett River Alewife - Age samples were available from 40 1995 and 2006. The youngest and oldest 30 1985 alewives observed in the run were ages 3 and 7, nf = 70 respectively, for females and 3 and 6, 20 nm = 63 respectively, for males (Appendix Table 9; Figure 7). Mean ages for female and male 10 alewife were 4.8 and 4.4, respectively, in 1995 0 and 3.9 and 3.7 years, respectively, in 2006 (Appendix Table 11) indicating a possible 30 1993 decline between the two years. Number nf = 68 20 nm = 63 Monument River 10 Alewife - The earliest time series (1985-1987) of age composition data come from Brady 0 (1987a). The youngest and oldest individuals 2345678 observed in the run during 1985-1987 were age Age 3 and 8 for females, and age 3 and 7 for males, Figure 8. Age structure of Charles River blueback respectively (Appendix Table 10; Figure 9). herring by sex (female: hollow bars; male: hash Ages 4-5 were the most abundant age-classes in marks), 1985 and 1993. nf is female sample size and the spawning run. From 1993-2006, the nm is male sample size. youngest and oldest individuals observed on the

11 60 35 1985 60 1998 2005 30 nf = 76 50 nf = 80 50 nf = 66 25 nm = 65 40 nm= 94 40 nm = 82 20 30 30 15 10 20 20 5 10 10 0 0 0 1986 1999 2006 40 nf = 86 20 nf = 37 40 nf = 57 nm = 61 30 nm= 83 15 nm = 49 30 20 10 20 10 5 10 0 0 0 1987 2000 100 2007 40 80 nf = 178 nf = 110 nf = 105 80 30 nm = 90 60 nm = 112 nm= 211 60 20 40 40 10 20 20 0 0 0 25 1993 2001 120 2008 60 nf = 94 nf = 194 20 nf = 51 100 nm = 44 nm = 107 80 nm = 286 15 40 60

10 Number Number Number 20 40 5 20 0 0 0 1995 2002 2009 50 80 nf = 76 60 nf = 94 nf = 141 40 nm = 96 nm= 122 60 nm = 137 30 40 40 20 20 10 20 0 0 0 1996 2003 2010 80 60 nf = 88 40 nf = 58 nf = 180 nm = 179 nm = 109 30 nm= 69 60 40 20 40 20 10 20 0 0 0 1997 2004 345678 40 nf = 49 60 nf = 72 Age 30 nm = 59 nm = 92 40 20 10 20 0 0 345678 345678 Age Age Figure 9. Age structure of Monument River alewife by sex (female: hollow bars; male: hash marks), 1985 – 2010. nf is female sample size and nm is male sample size.

6.0 Alewife - Female Alewife - Male 5.5 Blueback - Female Blueback - Male 5.0

4.5

4.0

Mean Age (years) 3.5

3.0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Figure 10. Mean age of Monument River alewife and blueback herring by sex, 1985-2010.

25 1985 14 1998 30 2005 20 nf = 53 12 nf = 14 25 nf = 39 nm = 36 10 nm = 11 20 nm = 51 15 8 15 10 6 4 10 5 2 5 0 0 0 30 1986 1999 2006 nf =39 20 nf = 5 30 nf = 56 nm =51 nm = 29 nm = 65 20 15 20 10 10 5 10 0 0 0 1987 2000 50 2007 30 15 nf = 19 nf = 68 nf = 31 40 nm = 60 nm = 28 nm= 81 20 10 30 20 10 5 10 0 0 0 10 1993 2001 40 2008 15 nf = 23 nf = 67 8 nf = 11 nm = 15 nm = 41 30 nm = 72 6 10 20 4 Number Number Number 5 2 10 0 0 0 1995 2002 2009 40 8 nf = 18 40 nf = 40 nf = 74 6 nm = 16 30 nm= 59 30 nm = 85 4 20 20 2 10 10 0 0 0 1996 2003 2010 10 50 nf = 16 nf = 68 60 nf = 67 8 nm= 24 40 nm = 69 nm = 80 6 30 40 4 20 20 2 10 0 0 0 1997 2004 345678 30 nf = 52 30 nf = 48 Age nm= 58 nm = 48 20 20

10 10

0 0 345678 345678 Age Age Figure 11. Age structure of Monument River blueback herring by sex (female: hollow bars; male: hash marks) determined from sampling, 1985-2010. nf is female sample size and nm is male sample size.

Table 11; Figure 10). to two years. Comparison of mean ages during 1985-1987 to mean ages during 1993-2010 Blueback - The earliest time series (1985-1987) indicated a decline in mean age over time of age composition data come from Brady (Appendix Table 11; Figure 10). (1987b). The youngest and oldest individuals of both sexes observed in the run during 1985- Mystic River 1987 were age 3 and 7, respectively (Appendix Alewife -Age compositions of both sexes of Table 10; Figure 11). Ages 4-5 were the most alewife from 2004-2010 were comprised of abundant age-classes in the spawning run. ages 2-7 with peak numbers occurring mostly at From 1993-2010, the youngest and oldest ages 4 and 5 (Appendix Table 9; Figure 12). individuals observed on the run were age 3 and Mean age ranged from 3.9 to 4.7 years for 6, respectively, for both sexes, except in 1997 females and from 3.5 to 4.3 years for males and 2008 (Appendix Table 10; Figure 11). (Appendix Table 11). Ages 4 and 5 were the most abundant age- classes. Comparison of the age compositions Blueback - Age samples for blueback herring over time indicated that the maximum age of were available from 2005-2010. The youngest male and female alewife has decreased by one and oldest individuals of both sexes observed in

13 Alewife Blueback Nemasket River Town Brook 60 35 80 80 30 2005 2004 50 2004 60 60 2004 nf = 56 25 nf = 40 nf = 123 nf = 94 40 nm = 42 nm = 71 20 nm = 139 nm = 83 30 40 40 15 20 10 20 20 10 5 0 0 0 0 2005 2005 2006 100 2005 8 60 nf = 129 nf = 12 60 nf = 310 80 nf = 129 nm = 110 nm = 146 nm = 153 6 nm = 10 40 40 60 4 40 20 20 2 20 0 1000 1000 0 2006 2006 120 2007 80 2006 8 nf = 124 80 nf = 15 100 nf = 213 nf = 126 60 nm = 195 60 nm = 136 6 nm = 10 80 nm = 237 40 4 60 40 40 20 20 2 20 0 0 0 0 250 2007 2007 Number 2008 200 80 2007 nf = 254 nf = 243 nf = 126 60 nf = 28 200 nm = 157 nm = 393 150 nm = 307 60 nm = 133 150 40 100 Number Number 40 100 20 50 20 50 0 0 0 600 140 2008 2008 2008 2009 140 50 200 120 nf = 213 nf = 53 nf = 136 120 nf = 207 40 nm = 300 100 nm = 259 100 nm = 257 nm = 108 150 80 30 80 100 60 60 20 40 40 10 50 20 20 0 0 0 0 2009 2009 140 2010 120 120 2009 nf = 56 100 nf = 148 100 nf = 177 30 120 nf = 118 nm = 252 nm = 58 100 nm = 180 80 80 nm = 206 20 80 60 60 60 40 40 10 40 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 2010 2010 2010 345678 80 80 nf = 189 nf = 179 15 nf = 26 60 nm = 189 nm = 14 Age 60 nm = 180 10 40 40 5 20 20 0 0 0 345678 345678 345678 Age Age Age Figure 12. Age structure of Mystic River alewife Figure 13. Age structure of Nemasket River and and blueback herring by sex (female: hollow bars; Town Brook alewife by sex (female: hollow bars; male: hash marks), 2004-2010. nf is female sample male: hash marks), 2004-2010. nf is female sample size and nm is male sample size. size and nm is male sample size.

the run were age 3 and 8, respectively 4.2 to 5.3 years for females, and from 4.0 to 4.9 (Appendix Table 9; Figure 12). Ages 4 and 5 years for males (Appendix Table 11). were the most abundant age-classes. Mean age Parker River ranged from 3.4 to 4.4 years for females and from 3.2 to 3.8 years for males (Appendix Alewife - The earliest time series (1971-1978) Table 11). of age composition data come from studies of alewife by Cole et al. (1976), Cole et al. Nemasket River (1978), and Mayo (1974). The youngest and Alewife - The youngest and oldest individuals oldest alewives of both sexes observed in the of both sexes observed in the run during 2004- run were age 3 and 9, respectively. Ages 4-6 2010 were age 3 and 8, respectively (Appendix were the most abundant age-classes in the Table 9; Figure 13). Ages 4-5 were the most spawning run, although ages 7-8 were common abundant age-classes. Mean age ranged from (Figure 14). Average age from 1971-1978

60 1971 8000 1975 50 6000 40 30 4000 20 2000 10 0 0 4000 1972 4000 1976 3000 3000 2000 2000 1000 1000 0 0 1600 Number 1973 Number 1977 15000 1400 1200 1000 10000 800 600 5000 400 200 0 0 10000 1974 1978 3000 8000 6000 2000 4000 1000 2000 0 0 23456789 3456789 Age Age Figure 14. Age structure of Parker River alewife by sex, 1971-1978. The age structure of the total run for each year is shown (expanded from samples) except 1971 ((female: hollow bars; male: hash marks)

ranged from 4.3 to 6.0 years for females, and observed in the run during 2004-2010 were age from 4.0 to 5.7 for males (Appendix Table 11). 3 and 8 for females and age 3 and 7 for males, respectively (Appendix Table 9; Figure 13). Quashnet River Age 4 was the most abundant age-class for both Alewife - During 2004, the youngest and oldest sexes. Mean age ranged from 4.0 to 4.9 years individuals observed in the run were age 3 and for females and from 3.8 to 4.6 years for males 5 for both sexes, respectively (Appendix Table (Appendix Table 11). 9; Figure 7). Age 4 was the most abundant age- Blueback - No description of the age class. Mean ages for female and male alewife in composition is made because only 9 were aged 2004 were 4.3 and 3.9 years, respectively (Appendix Table 9). (Appendix Table 11). Trends in Mean Length-At-Age. Mean length- Blueback - No description of the age at-age data for alewife and blueback herring from composition is made because only 8 the Monument River were plotted by sex and year individuals were aged (Appendix Table 9). to determine if changes in growth have occurred Stony Brook over time (Figure 15). Unfortunately, data from 1984-1987 were not available for historical Alewife - During 2004, the youngest and oldest comparison. Although variable, mean length-at- individuals observed in the run were age 3 and age of alewife for ages 3-5 of both sexes declined in 7 for females, and age 3 and 6 for males, the mid-1990s and increased through 2003. Since respectively (Appendix Table 9; Figure 7). 2004, mean length-at-age has been variable without Ages 4-5 were the most abundant age-classes. trends (Figure 15). Mean length-at-age for Mean ages for female and male alewife in 2004 blueback herring has varied without trend (Figure were 4.5 and 4.1, respectively (Appendix Table 15). 11). Trends in Proportions of Repeat Spawners. The Town Brook frequencies of new and repeat spawners determined Alewife - The youngest and oldest individuals by reading spawning checks on scales are listed in

15 Alewife Blueback

F F

Age Age 240 260 280 300 3 220 240 260 280 3 4 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 5 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 4 M 6 M 5 7 6 7 Mean Length Mean 8 Length Mean 250 260 270 280 290 220 230 240 250 260

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Year Figure 15. Mean length-at-age of alewife and blueback herring by year and sex for the Monument River, 1990-2010.

Appendix Table 12 and 13 by species, river, sex and Monument River year. The proportions that repeat spawners Alewife - The earliest time series (1986-1987) comprised the total samples are given in Table 1. of repeat spawner data come from Brady Agawam River (1987a). During 1986-1987, the estimated proportions of repeat spawners for females Alewife - The proportion of repeat spawners for ranged from 0.44 to 0.45, and those for males female and male alewife in 1991 was 0.11 and ranged from 0.39 to 0.41 (Table 1). From 1993 0.10, respectively (Table 1). -2010, proportions of repeat spawners ranged Blueback - The proportions of repeat spawners from 0.01-0.41, but most were <0.29. Since for female and male blueback herring were not 2003, the proportions of repeat spawners have calculated due to small sample size (Table 1). been <0.19. Back River Blueback - The earliest time series (1986-1987) of repeat spawner data come from Brady Alewife - The proportion of repeat spawners for (1987b). During 1986-1987, the estimated both sexes was 0.11 in 2007 (Table 1). proportions of repeat spawners for females Charles River ranged from 0.38 to 0.39, and those for males ranged from 0.20 to 0.22 (Table 1). From 1993 Blueback - The proportions of repeat spawners -2010, proportions of repeat spawners ranged for female blueback herring were 0.54 in 1985 from 0.00-0.27, but most were <0.20. Since and 0.44 in 1993. For males, the proportions 2003, the proportions of repeat spawners have were 0.49 in 1985 and 0.25 in 1993 (Table 1). been <0.14. Data for both sexes indicate a possible decline in the fraction of repeat spawners. Mystic River Mattapoisett River Alewife - The estimated proportions of repeat spawners for females varied widely without Alewife - The proportions of repeat spawners trend (0.00 in 2006 to 0.36 in 2004) (Table 1). for female alewife were 0.33 in 1995 and 0.04 However, the proportions of repeat spawners Figurein 2007. 14. Mean For males, length-at-age the proportions of alewife were and 0.19 blueback herringfor males by year remained and sex consistentfor the Monument at 0.3-0.32 River, in 1990-2010.in 1995 and 0.03 in 2007 (Table 1). Data for 2004-2005, but declined to <0.21 during 2006- both sexes indicate a possible decline in the 2010. fraction of repeat spawners.

Table 1. Proportion of repeat spawners in alewife and blueback herring samples by sex, river and year. *=not calculated due to small sample size.

Alewife Female River 1986 1987 1991 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Agawam 0.11 Back 0.11 Mattapoisett 0.33 0.04 Monument 0.45 0.44 0.20 0.08 0.18 0.29 0.41 0.11 0.08 0.14 0.29 0.12 0.01 0.08 0.16 0.08 0.15 0.13 0.13 Mystic 0.36 0.08 0.00 0.13 0.25 0.29 0.15 Nemasket 0.43 0.29 0.10 0.13 0.22 0.30 0.23 Quashnet 0.07 Stony 0.21 Town 0.14 0.18 0.08 0.17 0.29 0.31 0.21

Male River 1986 1987 1991 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Agawam 0.10 Back 0.11 Mattapoisett 0.19 0.03 Monument 0.39 0.41 0.23 0.05 0.24 0.22 0.29 0.12 0.10 0.18 0.31 0.19 0.07 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.13 0.10 0.07 Mystic 0.32 0.30 0.00 0.07 0.16 0.21 0.14 Nemasket 0.44 0.29 0.10 0.12 0.20 0.17 0.16 Quashnet 0.05 Stony 0.12 Town 0.17 0.12 0.04 0.23 0.32 0.32 0.17

Blueback Female River 1985 1986 1987 1991 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Agawam * Charles0.54 0.44 Monument 0.38 0.39 0.18 0.11 0.06 0.17 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.03 0.08 0.05 0.14 0.01 0.06 0.05 0.01 Mystic 0.030.16 0.15 0.36 0.12 0.15 Quashnet * Town *

Male River 1985 1986 1987 1991 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Agawam * Charles0.49 0.25 Monument 0.22 0.20 0.13 0.06 0.17 0.00 0.27 0.10 0.00 0.02 0.14 0.03 0.02 0.08 0.14 0.06 0.06 0.04 0.01 Mystic 0.06 0.21 0.18 0.27 0.13 0.13 Quashnet * Town *

Blueback - The estimated proportions of repeat repeat spawners were produced because of low spawners for female and male blueback herring sample sizes (Table 1). varied without trend (range: 0.03 in 2005 to Stony Brook 0.36 in 2008 for females; 0.06 in 2005 to 0.27 in 2008 for males) (Table 1). Alewife - The estimated proportions of repeat spawners for both sexes were <0.21 in 2004 Nemasket River (Table 1). Alewife - The estimated proportions of repeat Town Brook spawners for females and males were high in 2004 (0.43 for females; 0.44 for males) but Alewife - The estimated proportions of repeat declined thereafter to <0.30 for females and spawners for female and male alewife were low <0.29 for males (Table 1). (<0.17) prior to 2007, but increased above 0.17 thereafter (Table 1). Quashnet River Blueback - No estimates of proportions of Alewife - The estimated proportions of repeat repeat spawners were produced because of low spawners for both sexes were <0.07 in 2004 sample sizes (Table 1). (Table 1).

Blueback – No estimates of proportions of

17 Trends in Total Instantaneous Mortality Rates. sampling of the population. Estimates of L∞ , K, and Lc are given in Table 2. Age and repeat spawner data If the population is not in equilibrium, the Z The Chapman-Robson survival estimator estimates will be biased. To deal with this situation, (Chapman and Robson, 1960; Murphy, 1997) was an alternative Beverton-Holt estimator that accounts applied to the annual age- and repeat-spawner for non-equilibrium conditions (Gedamke and frequency data to generate estimates of survival rate Hoenig, 2006) was also applied to the length data. (S) for each species, sex and year. Total In this method, a Z is estimated for each period of instantaneous mortality rate (Z) was estimated by mortality change along with the year of that change the natural-log transformation of S. For age data, using maximum likelihood. Akaike’s Information the first age-at-full recruitment was the age with the Criterion (AIC) values are compared to determine highest frequency. For repeat spawner data, the the model structure that best describes variability in new spawners (0) were assumed fully-recruited. the length data. The same input parameters as the Only Z estimates made from data with three or equilibrium method are required. The non- more age-classes (including first fully-recruited equlibrium method was programmed in R and the age) were deemed valid. All methods were function optim was used to find the parameters that programmed in R. minimized the negative log-likelihood. This method was applied to data only from the Monument River because of the shortness of the Length data time series for other rivers. The Beverton-Holt (BH) length-based Z Estimates of Z from the age, repeat spawner estimator (Beverton and Holt, 1957) was applied to (rps), and length data by species and sex are given all available length data. The equation for Z is in Appendix Table 14 and are plotted in Figures 16- 19. Although Z estimates were made for alewife K(L  L) and blueback herring from several rivers, long time Z   L  L series of Z estimates from which change could be c detected were available only from the Monument River. The resulting estimates of Z from the where K and L∞ are the growth and asymptotic Gedamke and Hoenig (2006) method and years in length, respectively, for a von Bertalanffy growth which mortality changed for the Monument River equation, Lc is the length-at-first capture (smallest are presented in Table 3. Estimates for each river size of the youngest age at which animals are fully- are summarized below: vulnerable to fishery and sampling gear) and L bar is the mean length of fish >Lc. The population is Agawam River assumed to be in equilibrium after any change in Alewife - Z estimates for females in 1991 mortality. K and L∞ were estimated from mean ranged from 0.71 (BH) to 0.96 (age), while length-at-age data available in Mayo (1974; back- those for males ranged from 0.91 (BH) to 1.18 calculated mean lengths) for alewife and in Collette (age) (Appendix Table 14; Figure 17). and Klein-MacPhee (2002) for blueback herring. The standard von Bertalanffy growth equation was Blueback - Z estimates for females in 1991 fitted to the growth data, but L∞ was fixed to the ranged from 0.81 (age) to 0.86 (BH). The maximum observed length in each study to ensure valid single estimate of Z for males was 1.31 that it was not underestimated due to incomplete (BH) (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). There were no valid estimates from repeat spawner Table 2. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters and Lc data. for alewife and blueback herring by sex. Back River

Species Sex Loo (mm TL) K Lc(mm TL) Alewife - Z estimates for females in 2007 Alewife Female 355 0.41 240 ranged from 0.66 (BH) to 1.99 (rps), while Male 340 0.45 235 those for males ranged from 0.77 (BH) to 1.64 (age) (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). Blueback Female 330 0.41 230 Male 320 0.39 220

1970 1990 2010 Female:Age Female:Repeat Female:Length 4

2 River 1 Agawam Back Mattapoisett 0 Mystic Z Male:Age Male:Repeat Male:Length 4 Nemasket Parker Quashnet 3 Stony Town 2

0 1970 1990 2010 1970 1990 2010 Year

Figure 16. Estimates of instantaneous total mortality from age, repeat spawner and length data for alewife in Massachusetts rivers, 1971-2010. The Chapman-Robson survival estimator was applied to age and repeat spawner frequency data, and the Beverton-Holt estimator was applied to length data.

1970 1990 2010 Female:Age Female:Repeat Female:Length 4

1 River Agawam 0 Charles Z Male:Age Male:Repeat Male:Length 4 Mystic Quashnet Town 3

0 1970 1990 2010 1970 1990 2010 Year Figure 17. Estimates of total instantaneous mortality (Z) from age, repeat spawner, and length data for blueback herring in several Massachusetts rivers, 1985-2010. The Chapman-Robson survival estimator was applied to age and repeat spawner frequency data, and the Beverton-Holt (BH) estimator was applied to length data.

19 Charles River data) to 1.04 rps for females and from 0.84 to 1.12 (age) for males (Appendix Table 14; Blueback - Z estimates for females in 1985 Figure 18). For 1993-2010, Z estimates from ranged from 0.47 (BH) to 0.67 (age), while age and rps frequency data ranged from 0.87 those for males ranged from 0.67 (BH) to 0.96 (age) to 2.53 (rps) for females and from 1.02 (age) (Appendix Table 14; Figure 17). In 1993, (age) to 2.82 (rps) (Appendix Table 14; Figure Z estimates for females ranged from 0.7 (BH) 18). Estimates of Z from repeat spawner data to 1.19 (age), while those for males ranged from tended to be higher than estimates derived from 1.05 (age) to 1.38 (BH) (Appendix Table 14; age data (Figure 18). Comparison of Z Figure 17). estimates from age and repeat spawner data Mattapoisett River showed an increase in total mortality over time series for both sexes, although estimates for Alewife - Z estimates for females in 1995 female alewife from age data showed a slight ranged from 0.54 (BH) to 0.72 (age). During decline in Z after 2000 (Figure 18). 2006-2007, Z estimates ranged from 0.7 (BH) to 1.1 (age); no estimates were available from An increasing trend in total instantaneous rps data (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). For mortality was also observed in the BH Z males, Z estimates in 1995 ranged from 0.73 estimates for both sexes (Appendix Table 14; (BH) to 0.94 (age). During 2006-2007, BH Z Figure 18). Z values for 1984-1987 were about estimates ranged from 0.89-1.22 and are the half of those estimated for the same time period only ones available (Appendix Table 14; Figure using age and rps data. As the year of the time 16). series increased, mortality approached levels estimated using age and repeat spawner data Monument River (Figure 18). Comparison of AIC values from Alewife - For 1985-1987, Z estimates from age the GH method indicated that the best model for and rps frequency data ranged from 0.76 (age female alewife assumed two mortality changes

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

4 Female:Age/Repeat Female:Length

1 Method 0 Age Z Male:Age/Repeat Male:Length Repeat 4 BH Length GH Length 3

0 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Year Figure 18. Estimates of total instantaneous mortality (Z) from age, repeat spawner, and length data for alewife in the Monument River, 1984-2010. The Chapman-Robson survival estimator was applied to age and repeat spawner frequency data, and the Beverton-Holt (BH) and Gedamke-Hoenig (GH) length-based mortality estimators were applied to length data.

Table 3. Results of the non-equilbirum estimation of Zs following Gedamke and Hoenig (2006) for Monu- ment River alewife and blueback herring.

Female Alewife Male Alewife Parameter Estimate SE t Parameter Estimate SE t Z1 0.45 0.031 14.52*** Z1 0.57 0.055 10.36*** Z2 1.09 0.054 20.18*** Z2 1.49 0.07 21.28*** Z3 1.56 0.117 13.33*** Y1 1988 0.401 15.03*** Y1 1988.7 0.404 14.13*** SD 46.62 6.598 7.06*** Y2 2003.6 0.957 21.51*** AIC 225.1 ** SD 40.29 5.699 7.07 AIC 221.8

Female Blueback Male Blueback Parameter Estimate SE t Parameter Estimate SE t Z1 0.58 0.045 12.88*** Z1 0.66 0.06 11.78*** Z2 1.27 0.087 14.60*** Z2 1.08 0.09 11.49*** Z3 2.1 0.269 7.81*** Z3 1.85 0.13 14.34*** Y1 1988.7 0.545 10.55*** Y1 1985.40 0.56 4.31*** Y2 2005.1 0.897 24.59*** Y2 1995.10 0.72 16.80*** SD 28.34 4.003 7.08*** SD 28.03 4.00 7.00*** AIC 204.3 AIC 181.10

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

4 Female:Age/Repeat Female:Length

1 Method 0 Age Z Male:Age/Repeat Male:Length Repeat 4 BH Length GH Length 3

0 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Year Figure 19. Estimates of total instantaneous mortality (Z) from age, repeat spawner, and length data for blueback herring in the Monument River, 1984-2010. The Chapman-Robson survival estimator was applied to age and repeat spawner frequency data, and the Beverton-Holt (BH) and Gedamke-Hoenig (GH) length- based mortality estimators were applied to length data.

21 (1989 and 2004) over the time series (Table 3). 17). For male alewife, the best model assumed Nemasket River mortality changed once (1988) (Table 3). For female alewife, Z was estimated to be 0.45 prior Alewife - Z estimates for females during 2004- to 1989, 1.09 during 1989-2003, and 1.56 after 2010 ranged from 0.51 (BH) to 2.35 (rps) 2004 (Table 3). For male alewife, Z was (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). For males, Z estimated to be 0.57 prior to 1988, and 1.49 estimates during 2004-2010 ranged from 0.54 thereafter (Table 3). (BH) to 2.21 (rps)( Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). Blueback - For 1985-1987, Z estimates from age and rps frequency data ranged from 0.98 Quashnet River (age) to 1.49 (age) for females and from 1.06 (age) to 1.64 (rps) for males (Appendix Table Alewife - Only one Z for each sex was 14; Figure 19) For 1993-2010, Z estimates available. For 2004, Z (BH) was 1.10 for from age and rps frequency data ranged from females and 1.46 for males (Appendix Table 0.75 (age) to 1.54 (age) for females and from 14; Figure 16). 0.76 (age) to 1.73 (rps) for males (Appendix Blueback - Only one Z for each sex was Table 14; Figure 19). Estimates of Z from available. For 2004, Z (BH) was 1.01 for repeat spawner data tended to be higher than females and 2.96 for males (Appendix Table estimates derived from age data (Figure 19). 14; Figure 17). Comparison of Z estimates from age and repeat spawner data showed no trend in total mortality Stony Brook over time series for both sexes (Figure 19). Alewife - Z estimates for females during 2004- An increasing trend in total instantaneous 2010 ranged from 0.90 (BH) to 1.96 (age) mortality was observed in the BH Z estimates (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). For males, Z for both sexes (Appendix Table 14; Figure 19). estimates during 2004-2010 ranged from 1.14 Some Z values for 1984-1987 were about half (BH) to 1.30 (age)(Appendix Table 14; Figure of those estimated for the same time period 16). using age and rps data. As the year of the time Town Brook series increased, mortality approached and exceeded levels estimated using age data Alewife - Z estimates for females during 2004- (Figure 19). Comparison of AIC values from 2010 ranged from 0.84 (age) to 1.87 (rps) the GH method indicated that the best model (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). For males, Z assumed mortality changed twice (female: 1989 estimates during 2004-2010 ranged from 0.87 and 2005; male: 1985 and 1995) over the time (age) to 1.87 (rps)(Appendix Table 14; Figure series (Table 3). For female blueback, 16). estimates of Z were 0.58 prior to 1989, 1.27 Blueback - The Z estimate in 2005 for male during 1989-2004, and 2.10 thereafter. For blueback herring was 1.20 (Figure 17). No males, estimates of Z were 0.66 prior to 1985, estimates were made for females because of 1.08 during 1985-1994, and 1.85 thereafter low sample sizes (Appendix Table 14). (Table 3). Mystic River Increasing trends in total mortality over time were evident for Monument River alewife using the Alewife - Z estimates for females during 2004- three types of data (e.g., age, repeated spawner 2010 ranged from 0.96 (age) to 2.58 (BH) frequency, and length data), but similar trends were (Appendix Table 14; Figure 16). For males, Z evident using the length data only for blueback. It estimates during 2004-2010 ranged from 0.88 is difficult to conclude if total mortality of river (age) to 3.96 (BH)( Appendix Table 14; Figure herring increased in the other rivers as well due to 16). the shortness of the time series of data and Blueback - Z estimates for females during 2004 variability in the Z estimates among rivers. -2010 ranged from 0.86 (age) to 2.41 (rps) (Appendix Table 9; Figure 17). For males, Z Trends in Age-1 Indices of Relative Abundance. estimates during 2004-2010 ranged from 1.26 Relative indices of age-1 abundance for alewife and (age) to 2.46 (BH)( Appendix Table 14; Figure blueback herring from the DMF trawl survey are

shown in Figure 20 for areas north and south of is the oldest age group (age 8+). The number of Cape Cod. Indices of relative abundance of alewife year classes in the model was 6, representing ages 3 fluctuated without trends during 1978-2010 and through 8+. were generally lower south of Cape Cod. The cohort dynamics of the model is a hybrid of

the Gaspereau River model in Gibson and Myers A Stock Assessment Model for Alewife (2003a). The model incorporates the immature and mature phases by sex of the alewife’s life history A forward-projecting age-structured statistical and assumes the year begins at the start of catch-at-age (SCA) model for the Monument River spawning. Mature individuals of each age move alewife stock was constructed and is used to into the Monument River where they are intercepted estimate age-3 abundance and natural mortality and removed for harvest, and escapement counts are rates during 1980-2010 from total in-river catches, made upriver of the catchment basin. Biological escapement counts, and escapement age samples for length, sex, and age are collected from composition. escapement fish. The model allows natural mortality values to be specified for each year, age, Model Structure. The structure of the population sex and maturity phase or allows natural mortality model is aged-based and projects the population to be estimated for each sex, two periods over the numbers-at-age by sex s forward through time given time series, or combinations of the two. If the model estimates of age-3 numbers and natural estimation of natural mortality is chosen, then the mortality rates and field estimates of proportion resulting estimates are interpreted as including all mature-at-age. The population numbers-at-age remaining mortality aside from natural mortality (Ns,d,y,a) matrix has dimensions s x d x y x A-2, (e.g., bycatch mortality). where s is number of sexes (2), d is the number of maturity phases (2), y is the number of years and A

Alewife - Age 1 (8-16 cm) Blueback - Age 1 (8-16 cm) 70 50 North of Cape Cod North of Cape Cod 60 40 50

40 30

30 ˆ ˆ E y  Es,2, y,a 20 sa 20 10 Mean NumberPer Tow 10 Mean NumberPer Tow

0 0 South of Cape Cod South of Cape Cod 10 15 8

10 6

4 5

Mean Number Per Tow Per Number Mean Tow Per Number Mean 2

0 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Year Figure 20. Indices of relative abundance (stratified mean number per tow) for age-1 alewife and blueback herring north and south of Cape Cod from the spring Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl survey, 1978-2010. Whiskers are +/-1 standard error.

Table 4. Population dynamics equations used in the alewife SCA model.

Given the above dynamics, population numbers- Total removals of alewife are one set of data at-age by sex and maturity phases are calculated from which age-3 abundances and natural mortality through time by using cohort survival models rates are estimated. Total removals in numbers (Table 4). Number of age-3 alewife at the includes harvested fish and fish taken for transplant beginning of spawning season (Ry) are directly to other rivers. The equation for removals-at-age is estimated in the model and these estimates are given in Table 4 and it requires estimates of annual partitioned into sex-specific (s) (1=female; 2=male) numbers of mature fish at each sex and age and and maturity phase (d)(1=immature; 2=mature) exploitation rates (assumed known). All predictions estimates of age-3 abundance (Ns,d,y,3) using the are stored in an array of dimensions s x y x A-2. proportion female (f) and mature proportions-at-age Predicted catch-at-age data are then compared to the (pa)(derived outside of the model)(Table 4). observed total catch through the predicted total Number of age-3 alewife (Ry) in the population is removals equation (Table 4). modeled as a log-normal deviation (independent Escapement counts and age structure are the and identically distributed normal random variables second set of data from which age-3 abundances with zero mean and constant variance and are and natural mortality are estimated. Count data constrained to sum to zero over all years) from were available from 1980-1981, 1984-1987, and average abundance (R bar) (Table 4). This 1990-2010. Escapement age data were available formulation differs from the original Gibson and only from years 1985-1987, 1993, and 1995-2010. Meyers model which linked recruitment via a A multiple regression model that predicts well total Beverton-Holt equation. abundance in the Monument River from lagged The initial population abundance-at-age for ages autumn monthly cumulative rainfall data was used 4-8+ in 1980 for each sex and maturity phase to fill-in missing escapement data for 1982, 1983, (Ns,d,1980,a) is calculated by assuming a static stock 1988 and 1989 after subtracting removal estimates (Table 4). M is the natural mortality rate in 1980 from the prediction. The equation for escapement for sex s, maturity phase d, and age a, and u is the numbers-at-age is given in Table 4 and it requires exploitation rate which is assumed known estimates of annual numbers of mature fish at each (calculated from catch/(catch+escapement)). sex/age and exploitation rates. All predictions are stored in an array of dimensions s x y x A-2. Population abundance-at-age for ages 4-7 Estimated escapement-at-age values are then (N ) and the plus-group (N ) are calculated s,d,y,a s,d,y,8+ compared to the observed total escapement and to in the remaining years by using similar cohort proportions of escapement numbers-at-age through equations (Table 4). the predicted total escapement and age composition The program was designed to accept user- equations (Table 4). inputted M values specified by year, sex, and age or Female spawning stock biomass (SSB) is to allow estimation of M by sex (2 estimates), two calculated from mature female numbers that periods (2 estimates), and sex and two periods (4 escaped harvest and mean weight-at-age for mature estimates). The estimates of M were applied to both females (Table 4). Calculated mean weights-at-age immature and mature fish. If M is estimated, then are provided in Appendix Table 15. the parameter represents “all mortality other than in -river fishing”. Fishing mortality rates were calculated from the calculated exploitation rates assuming a Type I The annual proportions of fish mature at each fishery (Table 4). age and sex were calculated from repeat-spawner frequency data collected in the Monument River. For total removals and escapement numbers, Due to the small sample sizes of repeat-spawner lognormal errors are assumed and the generalized data and missing data in some years, the averages of concentrated likelihood (-Ll)(Parma 2002; Deriso et proportions mature-at-age from all years were used. al. 2007) was calculated (Table 5). CVy is the The resulting proportions-at-age for each sex were: coefficient of variation for the observed removal or escapement numbers in year y, nC and nE are the Age number of years, nd λC and λE are the relative Sex 345678+ Female 0.102 0.729 0.983 1 1 1 weights (Parma 2002; Deriso et al., 2007). Male 0.2750.860.9931 1 1 For escapement age composition data, a multinomial error likelihood (-Lp) is assumed (ny.s is

25 Table 5. Likelihood functions for removals and escapement data.

the effective number of fish of sex s aged in year y minimization is done over another subset of and Ps,y,a is the observed proportions of escapement parameters until eventually all parameters have numbers-at-age)(Table 5). Effective sample size is been included. Average age-3 abundance is estimated using iterative procedures of McAllister minimized in phase 1, abundance deviations are and Ianelli (1997). The formula for the average minimized in phase 2, and, if estimated, “natural” effective sample size is provided in Table 5. The mortality is minimized in phase 3. average effective sample size is applied, re- Model fit for all components was checked by calculated and re-substituted until the average using standardized residual plots and root mean effective sample size stabilizes under equal square errors. Equations for standardized residuals weighting of all likelihood components. (r) for log-normal (total removals and escapement) The total log-likelihood (-Ll–Lp) is used by the and multinomial (age composition) errors are given autodifferentiation routine in AD Model Builder to in Table 6 (n is the total number of total removals or search for the “best” age-3 abundance and “natural” escapement values). For escapement age mortality parameters that minimize the total log- composition data, standardized residuals required likelihood. AD Model Builder allows the the average effective sample size for each sex minimization process to occur in phases. During (Table 6). Equations for root mean square error each phase, a subset of parameters is held fixed and (RMSE) are given in Table 6.

Table 6. Diagnostic functions for removals and escapement data.

Reference Points. Fishing mortality and female biomass at MSY), and SSB20% (minimum threshold spawning stock biomass reference points for biomass). management were derived using three analytical The YPR and SPR analyses follow the model approaches. First, yield-per-recruit (YPR) analyses adapted by Gibson and Myers (2003c) for alewife were conducted to derive F (F where slope 0.10 and the equations are shown in Table 7. Here, a is between two adjacent YPR values is 10% of the the age of the fish, p is the proportion mature at slope at the origin) and F (F at maximum yield) a max that age, M and M are the instantaneous natural reference values. Second, spawning biomass-per- m,a i,a mortality rates for mature and immature fish of age recruit (SPR) analysis was conducted to derived the a, and w is the female weight at age. Since a plus F and F reference points (fishing mortality a 40% 20% group was used in the model, one additional SS rates that reduces the spawning biomass to 40% and a (SS ) was calculated to match the maximum 20% of the maximum unfished biomass, 9 observed age in Massachusetts (9: observed in respectively). Third, recruitment and spawning Parker River) for female alewife (Table 7). stock biomass estimates in conjunction with SPR and YPR (production model method in Gibson and YPR and SPR were calculated for a set of Fs that Myers, 2003b) were used to derive values for Fmed ranged from 0 to 5 with 0.01 increment. Fmax was (level of fishing mortality where recruitment has found by selecting the fishing mortality where YPRF been sufficient to balance losses to fishing mortality takes its largest value, and F0.10 was found by in half the observed years), Fcol (the fishing selecting the fishing mortality where the marginal mortality that drives the population to extinction), gain in yield was 10% that at F=0. The SPRx% Fmsy (the fishing rates that produces maximum reference points were found by selecting the fishing sustainable yield), SSBmsy (the spawning stock mortality rate where SPRF was x% that of SPRF=0. Only data from 1990 were used to calculate SPR

. Reference points equations used in the alewife SCA model. Table 7

and YPR values in order to develop historical Table 8. Likelihood components with respective con- estimates of reference points before the decline in tributions in base model run. abundance and changes in age structure. Likelihood Components Fmed was calculated by finding the fishing mortality rate that produced a SPR replacement line with a slope that equals the median survival ratio Weight RSS (median of R /SSB ) from the recruitment-spawner Total Escapement 1 30.88 y y-3 Total Catch 1 29.13 biomass estimates. Escape Age Comps 0.25 2181.91 The remaining quantities were produced using a production model based on the Beverton-Holt Total Likelihood 545.48 spawner-recruit model. A Beverton-Holt spawner- Number of Estimates 34.00 recruit model (Table 7) was fit externally to the age- AIC 1158.96 3 recruitment numbers (Ry) and corresponding Catch RMSE 1.00479 spawning stocking biomass (SSBy-3). Here, a is the Escape. RMSE 1.0051 slope at the origin of the spawner-recruit relationship (the maximum rate at which spawners can produce recruits at low population sizes) and R0 fixed CVs and effective sample sizes, the structure is the asymptotic recruitment level which is the of M estimation was changed to the alternate M carrying capacity expressed as the number of fish structures. AIC values were then compared to that survive to age-3 (Gibson and Myers 2003b & determine the “best” model. The run in which M c). The BH equation was fitted to the recruitment- was estimated for two time periods (1980-1999, spawner data using non-linear least-squares 2000-2010) was deemed “best” and was selected as regression. Only estimates of recruitment from 1986 the base run. -2009 and SSB from 1983-2006 are used to Comparison of model outputs revealed an estimate the S-R relationship to eliminate the imbalance between the total escapement numbers influence and possible bias of the static stock and escapement age composition (escapement data abundance estimates during the first year (1980) were not predicted well after 2000), indicating and the slight retrospective bias near the terminal possible conflict between the two sources of data. (see below). Since we believe that the total escapement numbers For a given level of F, the equilibrium spawning have less error than the age composition data, the biomass (SSB*), corresponding number of recruits, likelihood contribution of the latter was and equilibrium yield is calculated by using the BH downweighted by 75%. a and R parameters (Table 7). F is found by 0 msy The female sex proportion (f) used in the base finding the fishing mortality rate that produces the model run was 0.5. Adjustments of CVs for the maximum C* and SSB is the value of SSB* msy total escapement and catch series to obtain an corresponding to this fishing mortality rate. F is col RMSE value near 1.00 were 0.10 and 0.169, the value of F where 1/SPR = a. The minimum F respectively. The average effective samples sizes threshold biomass (SSB ) was calculated as 20% 20% for female and male catch age composition were set of the equilibrium female spawner biomass in the to 35 and 54, respectively, based on the original non absence of fishing (Table 7). -downweighted model results. Base Configuration and Results. Initial runs of the Resulting contributions to total likelihood are model were conducted to examine the impact of listed in Table 8. The converged total likelihood different structures (i.e., M by sex, M by period, was 545.48. In total, 34 parameters were estimated and M by sex and period) for the estimation of M. in the model. The resulting estimates of recruitment Iterations of effective sample sizes and adjustments and natural mortality are given in Table 9. Graphs of CVs for the total escapement and catch series depicting the observed and predicted values for total were made for each model run. To pick a “best” removals and total escapement numbers, and model, two sets of analyses were run. For the standardized residuals are shown in Figure 21. models that estimated sex-specific, and sex- and Plots of observed and predicted catch age period-specific Ms, each was balanced by changing composition (proportions) and bubble plots of the CVs and effective sample sizes. For each set of standardized residuals for each sex, year, and age

29 Table 9. Parameter estimates and associated standard deviations of base model configuration.

Year Age-3 Numbers SD CV Period M SD CV 1980 151,525 15,256 0.10 1980-1999 0.737 0.055 0.075 1981 181,290 48,937 0.27 2000-2010 1.205 0.064 0.053 1982 153,641 65,610 0.43 1983 276,750 48,382 0.17 1984 204,357 39,220 0.19 1985 154,736 29,794 0.19 1986 153,730 36,109 0.23 1987 163,244 51,014 0.31 1988 26,069 54,276 2.08 1989 45,116 69,680 1.54 1990 491,425 94,485 0.19 1991 476,495 98,893 0.21 1992 267,682 62,475 0.23 1993 98,248 36,861 0.38 1994 490,500 75,680 0.15 1995 852,025 126,104 0.15 1996 417,516 84,026 0.20 1997 362,490 69,363 0.19 1998 191,388 49,077 0.26 1999 680,316 96,786 0.14 2000 982,282 161,324 0.16 2001 309,716 68,136 0.22 2002 214,402 43,117 0.20 2003 257,673 40,081 0.16 2004 151,535 30,030 0.20 2005 80,672 19,425 0.24 2006 128,376 25,613 0.20 2007 167,345 33,405 0.20 2008 260,970 47,625 0.18 2009 135,324 41,070 0.30 2010 148,128 55,198 0.37

Total Removals Total Removals Numbers -2 -1 0 1 2 Standardized Residuals (log) 0 20000 60000

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Year

Escapement Escapement

Observed Predicted Number Standardized Residuals(log) -2 -1 0 1 2 0e+00 2e+05 4e+05 6e+05 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Year

Figure 21. Comparison of observed and predicted total removals and escapement numbers and standardized residuals for Monument River alewife.

Female Catch Age Comp By Year Obs Pred

345678 345678 345678 345678 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 0.0 0.21994 0.4 1995 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.00.20.40.6 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 0.00 0.15 2002 2003 Proportion

0.0 0.20.40.6 2004 0.0 0.2 0.4 2005 0.0 0.2 0.4 2006 0.0 0.2 0.4 2007 0.00.20.40.6 2008 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 2009 0.0 0.2 0.4 2010 0.00.20.40.6 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 345678 345678 345678 345678 Age

Male Catch Age Comp By Year Obs Pred

345678 345678 345678 345678 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

0.0 0.2 0.4 1988 0.0 0.2 0.4 1989 0.0 0.2 0.4 1990 0.0 0.2 0.4 1991 0.0 0.2 0.4 1992 0.0 0.2 0.4 1993 0.0 0.2 0.4 1994 0.0 0.2 0.4 1995 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 1996 1997 0.0 0.41998 0.8 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Proportion

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 2004 0.0 0.2 0.4 2005 0.00.20.40.6 2006 0.0 0.2 0.4 2007 0.0 0.4 2008 0.0 0.2 0.4 2009 0.0 0.2 0.4 2010 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.4 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.2 0.4 345678 345678 345678 345678 Age

Figure 22. Observed and predicted escapement age composition (proportions) for Monument River alewife by sex, age, and year.

Female Catch Age Composition - Pearson Residuals (Solid = +, Hollow = -, Red > 3) Age 23456789

1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010

Year

Male Catch Age Composition - Pearson Residuals (Solid = +, Hollow = -, Red > 3) Age 23456789

1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010

Year

Figure 23. Bubble plots of standardized residuals of catch age composition by sex, year, and age for Monu- ment River.

Total Immature Mature Numbers (millions) 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Figure 24. Population abundance estimates for the Monument River alewife stock. are shown in Figures 22 and 23. The model fit the moratorium ranged as high as 0.40 in 1980 to as observed total catch and total escapement (Figure low as 0.04 in 2000 (Table 10). Exploitation 21) well, but the fit to the escapement age steadily declined over the time series (Table 10). composition was poor in several cases (Figures 22 Since the moratorium, exploitation rates have been and 23). This was due to the downweighting of the zero. Corresponding fishing mortality (F) rates are escapement age composition data. Based on listed in Table 10. F was highest during the early coefficients of variation, many estimates were 1980s and averaged 0.34 per year. It steadily precise (CVs<0.20)(Table 9). declined over the time series and averaged 0.13 from 2001-2004. The abundance estimates of the Monument River alewife by sex, maturity state, year and age Natural Mortality. The period estimates of are given in Appendix Table 16. Prior to 1989, “natural” mortality, which includes all other sources alewife total abundance (3+) was low and average of mortality not accounted for, were 0.74 for 1980- about 285,000 fish (Figure 24). Although variable, 1999 and 1.20 for 2000-2010, indicating that total abundance increased to 1.37 million fish by mortality increased by 62% after 1999 (Table 9). 2000. Total abundance declined steadily to 156,366 Spawning Stock Biomass. Estimates of female fish by 2005 (Figure 24). Since 2006, total spawning stock biomass (SSB) for alewife by age abundance has averaged only 238,000 fish are provided in Appendix Table 17. Prior to 1989, (Appendix Table 16). Age-3 abundance followed female SSB (3+) was low and averaged about 8,265 similar patterns as total abundance (Table 9). Age-3 kilograms (Figure 25). Although variable, female numbers were low prior to 1989 (average = 163,000 SSB increased steadily to 37 thousand kilograms by fish), increased and peaked at about 852,000 fish in 1996 and remained high but variable through 2001. 1995 (1992 year-class), declined to 191,366fish in Female SSB declined steadily from about 16 1998, increased to its peak of 982,282 fish in 2000, thousand kilograms in 2002 to its lowest value of and declined to its second lowest level of 80,672 about 4,807 kilograms in 2006. (Figure 25). Since fish by 2005 (2002 year-class). Since 2006, age-3 2007, female SSB has averaged only 6,833 numbers have averaged about 168,000 fish. kilograms (Figure 25). µ and F Mortality Rates. Exploitation rates (µ) Retrospective Analysis. Small retrospective bias for alewife in the Monument River before the 2005 was evident in estimates of age-3 abundance,

33 Table 10. In-river exploitation rates (µ) and equivalent fishing mortality rates for the Monument River.

Year μ F 1980 0.41 0.52 1981 0.20 0.22 1982 0.40 0.51 1983 0.40 0.51 1984 0.29 0.35 1985 0.21 0.23 1986 0.14 0.16 1987 0.22 0.25 1988 0.19 0.21 1989 0.19 0.21 1990 0.33 0.39 1991 0.14 0.15 1992 0.19 0.22 1993 0.18 0.20 1994 0.28 0.33 1995 0.13 0.14 1996 0.15 0.16 1997 0.17 0.19 1998 0.20 0.22 1999 0.25 0.29 2000 0.04 0.04 2001 0.07 0.07 2002 0.19 0.21 2003 0.09 0.10 2004 0.13 0.14 2005 0.01 0.01 2006 0.00 0.00 2007 0.00 0.00 2008 0.00 0.00 2009 0.00 0.00 2010 0.00 0.00

Kilograms 0 10000 30000

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year

Figure 25. Estimates of female spawning stock biomass (kilograms) for Monument River alewife.

Age-3 Abundance Retrospective "Natural" Mortality Retrospective

1,400,000 1.40 2010 2010 2009 1,200,000 2009 1.20 2008 1,000,000 2008 1.00 2007 2007 800,000 2006 2006 0.80 600,000

Number 0.60 Number 400,000 0.40 200,000 0.20 0 0.00 0 2 6 0 2 4 6 8 2 6 0 8 9 9 9 1 9 984 988 9 9 9 000 004 008 0 1 198 1 198 1 199 1 1 1 199 2 200 2 200 2 2 1980-1999 2000-2010 Year Period

Female SSB Retrospective Total Abundance Retrospective

40000 1800000 2010 2010 35000 1600000 2009 2009 1400000 2008 30000 2008 2007 1200000 25000 2007 2006 2006 1000000 20000 800000

15000 Number Kilograms 600000 10000 400000 5000 200000 0 0

0 2 4 8 0 2 2 8 2 8 4 8 86 88 90 92 04 06 08 10 8 86 8 9 9 02 0 0 98 98 9 9 9 9 00 00 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 0 0 198 1 1 1 1 1 1 1994 1996 199 2 2 2 2 2 2 1980 1 1984 1 19 1990 1 1994 1996 1 2000 2 20 2006 2 2010 Year Year Figure 26. Retrospective analyses for age-3 abundance, “natural” mortality, and female spawning stock biomass, and total population abundance estimates for the Monument River.

“natural” mortality estimates, female SSB, and total the fishing mortality rate that produces maximum population abundance. There was a consistent sustainable yield, Fmsy, was 0.49 and corresponding underestimation of the terminal year values of age-3 spawning stock bass, SSBmsy, was 22,251 kilograms. numbers, female SSB and total population SSBmsy was higher than the 20% of the equilibrium abundance, but a consistent overestimation of spawner biomass, SSB20% (14,496 kilograms) (Table “natural” mortality values in the second period 11). Current female spawning stock biomass (8,256 (Figure 26). kilograms) is 37% of SSBmsy. The fishing mortality rate that drives the population to extinction, F , Reference Points. The fit of the Beverton-Holt col was 1.14. The relationships between the reference stock-recruitment equation to the age-3 abundance points from the production model are shown with and female SSB is shown in Figure 27. A plot of the SR data in Figure 29. The estimates of F and the residuals indicated reasonable model fit (Figure msy Fcol are considerably lower than those estimated for 27). The estimates of a and R0 are 31.52 (SE=17.31) and 524,896 fish (SE=345,995), respectively. Both estimates were imprecise (CVs Table 11. Reference points derived from YPR, >0.5) (Figure 27). Reference points generated from SPR and production model methods. YPR, SPR and the production model are shown in Table 11. For YPR analysis, the fishing mortality Method Basis Estimate rate that maximized the yield-per-recruit, Fmax, was Yield Per Recruit F0.1 1.06 greater than 5, and F0.1 was 1.06 (Figure 28). The Fmax 5 fishing mortality that reduced the female spawning Spawner Per Recruit F40% 0.55 biomass to 40% and 20% of the level without F20% 1.08 Fmed 0.73 fishing was 0.55 and 1.08, respectively (Figure 28). Production Model Fcol 1.14 Fmsy 0.49 From the spawner-recruit data, Fmed was estimated to be 0.73. From the production model, SSBmsy 22251 SSB20% 14496

Beverton-Holt SR Relationship BH Residuals

Par ameter Es timate SE CV A 31.523 17.31 0.55 R0 524896.052 345994.669 0.66 Residuals (log) Age-3 Numbers -2 -1 0 1 2 0 200000 600000 1000000

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 0 10000 20000 30000 SSB (kg) SSBt-3 (kg)

Figure 27. Beverton-Holt stock-recruitment relationship for the Monument River alewife. Estimates of a and R0 are provided in the first graph, and residuals are shown in the second graph.

SSB Per Recruit Yield Per Recruit

Fmax > 5

F0.1 = 1.06 YPR (kg) SPR (kg) F40% = 0.55

F20% = 1.08 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 012345 012345 F F

Figure 28. Results of spawning biomass-per-recruit and yield-per-recruit and analyses for Monument River alewife.

F=0 Fmsy Fmed Fcol Age-3 Numbers Age-3

0 200000 600000 1000000 SSBmsy = 22251 kg

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 SSB (kg)

Figure 29. Production model reference points for Monument River alewife.

alewife (Fmsy>1.0; Fcol >1.82) in three Canadian current ability to respond to changes in mortality. rivers by Gibson and Myers (2003b). The in-river Examination of period-specific S-R points revealed fishing mortality rates exceeded only Fmsy in the that, since 1998, the number of fish surviving to age beginning of the time series (Table 10). -3 has dropped but has remained constant at about 200,000 fish regardless of the level of female The reference points based on the overall S-R spawning stock biomass (Figure 30). This suggests relationship may be over-estimating the alewife’s that the reference points for alewife’s in its current

1.2e+6 1983-1997 1998-2006 1.0e+6

8.0e+5

6.0e+5

4.0e+5 Age-3 Numbers

2.0e+5

0.0 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 Female SSB (kg)

Figure 30. Plot of S-R data for Monument River alewife with year-classes symbolized by time periods (1983-1997 and 1998-2006).

37 survival regime may be lower. abundance. Increasing the downweight ratio by 0.1 increased and decreased specific values of the age-3 Sensitivity Analyses. Sensitivity analyses were estimates between -32 and +101%, while decreasing conducted to determine the influence of assumed- the downweight ratio by 0.1 increased and known input values on the resulting estimates of decreased specific values of the age-3 estimates age-3 abundance, female SSB, natural mortality between -99 and +48% (Appendix Figure 4). rates, and total population abundance. The Changes in female SSB (range: -10.0 to 8%), total sensitivity of the base model output to changes in abundance (range: -11.0 to 21.0%), and natural the female sex ratio, CVs of total removals and mortality estimates (range: -2.0 to 7.0%) were less escapement numbers, average effective sample size, dramatic (Appendix Figure 4). and the ratio used to downweight the escapement age composition were examined. The following Comparison of Total Instantaneous Mortality changes in input parameters were made: Estimates. Total instantaneous mortality estimates (Z) were derived by adding the annual F values Female sex ratio +0.1 (Table 10) to the respective period estimates of CVs and effective sample sizes +20% “natural” mortality. These values were compared to Z estimates derived using the Chapman-Robson Downweight Ratio +0.1 survival estimator on age data (see Trends in Total For changes in female sex ratio, the CVs and Instantaneous Mortality). In addition, Z reference effective sample sizes were re-balanced before points (i.e., Zcol and Z20%) were calculated by adding downweighting. the “natural” mortality estimate for 1980-1999 to the F reference points presented in Table 11. Changing the female sex ratio by +0.1 had little Comparison of the Z estimates showed that the Z impact on the estimates of age-3 abundance, natural estimate derived in this model were comparable to mortality or total population abundance (Appendix the Z derived using the Chapman-Robson estimator Figure 1). The +0.1 change had the biggest impact on age data for female and male alewife (Figure on female SSB (Appendix Figure 1). On average, 31). The Chapman-Robson-based estimates showed female SSB increased by 224% with a 0.1 increase increased mortality starting in the mid-1990s, while in the sex ratio, while female SSB decreased by the SCA model, due to the model configuration, 104% with a 0.1 decrease in the sex ratio (Appendix showed increased mortality after 1999 (Figure 31). Figure 1). Except for two estimates of male alewife Z, most Z Changing the CVs of the total removals and estimates were well below the Z reference points escapement numbers by +20% had little impact on (Figure 31). This indicates that, although there was the estimates of age-3 abundance, natural mortality, an increase in total mortality, the increase was not female SSB or total population abundance high enough to collapse the stock of alewife in the (Appendix Figure 2). Monument River. Changing the average effective sample sizes had variable impacts on the estimates of age-3 Potential Causes of Increased Mortality and abundance, natural mortality, female SSB or total Population Declines population abundance. Increasing the average effective sample sizes by 20% increased and The following is a short list of many potential decreased specific values of the age-3 estimates causes of the changes in abundance, population between -19 and +44%, while decreasing the characteristics and dynamics of alewife and average effective sample size by -20% increased blueback herring in Massachusetts acting singly or and decreased specific values of the age-3 estimates synergistically: between -51 and +30% (Appendix Figure 3). Environmental Changes - Changes in weather as a Changes in female SSB (range: -3.0 to 5%), total result of climate change can impact many abundance (range: -5.0 to 4.0%), and natural aspects of the alewife and blueback life stages. mortality estimates (range: -0.6 to 1.9%) were less Changes in rainfall patterns could affect the dramatic (Appendix Figure 3). food production in the nursery areas and cause Changing the downweight ratio had also variable higher mortality of juveniles as competition for impacts on the estimates of age-3 abundance, limited zooplankton resources is believed a natural mortality, female SSB or total population major factor affecting survival and growth of

2.0

1.8 SCA Model 1.6 Male Female 1.4 Zcol Z20% Z 1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year

Figure 31. Comparison of Z estimates derived from the SCA model and those derived from raw age data using the Chapman-Robson survival estimator for Monument River alewife. Also, shown are the Z reference points (Zcol and Z20%).

juveniles (Walton 1983). Such changes can alewife abundance against monthly cumulative cause shifts in the carrying capacity of a nursery rainfall from July through December lagged 3, ground and ultimately affect recruitment . 4, 5 and 6 years in the past (abundance in the Support for a change in carrying capacity is run is comprised mostly of ages 4, 5 and 6). evident in the stock-recruitment data for Stepwise multiple regression was used to select Monument River alewife (Figure 30). Since the significant monthly data that best predicted 1998, the number of fish surviving to age-3 the total abundance. Results are shown in dropped but has remained constant at about Figure 33 and suggest that the survival of ages 200,000 fish regardless of the level of female 4 and 5 fish when they were juveniles is spawning stock biomass (Figure 30). This positively dependent on rainfall during the fall suggests that survival declined and a plot of the months of September, November and number of age-3 fish divided by the December. corresponding female spawning stock biomass Predation - It is possible that the increase in total shows that this occurred through the mid-2000s mortality observed after 1999 and decrease in (Figure 32). size of herring over time are the result of Another potential impact of changes in rainfall selective predation by increasing populations of is on the migration patterns of juvenile herring. striped bass (Morone saxatilis), cormorants It is believed that drops in temperature and (Phalacrocorax auritus), spiny dogfish rainfall events cue juveniles to move out of (Squalus acanthias), and seals (Phoca vitulina). Massachusetts river systems in fall (Kosa and Striped bass, in particular, may have impacted Mather, 2001; Yako et al., 2002). Decreases in river herring as strong, negative correlations rainfall during their peak migration in fall may (Spearman rho) between average sizes of inhibit migration and increase potential female and male alewife and blueback herring mortality. To investigate whether trends in from the Monument River and striped bass abundance of Monument River alewife may be coast-wide abundance are evident (Figure 34). correlated with rainfall, we regressed total Bycatch in Fisheries - It is indeed possible that

10 Age-3 Numbers/Female SSB 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Figure 32. Plot of survival ratios (age-3 numbers divided by female SSB) for Monument River alewife.

2 A  241074  27998St4  20351St5  33495Nt4  22594 Nt5  23580Dt4 148757 I20062010 , r  0.77 700

600 Observed 500 Predicted Projected 400

300

200

100 Total Run Size (thousand) 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

Figure 33. Prediction of Monument River alewife total abundance using monthly cumulative rainfall from Onset, Massachusetts lagged 4 and 5 years.

Alewife Blueback 320 290 rhoM=-0.80*** Male rhoM=-0.90*** Male 280 300 rhoF=-0.79*** Female rhoF=-0.88*** Female 270 280 260 260 250 240 240 230 220 220 Mean Total Mean Length (mm)

Mean TotalMean Length (mm) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0 2 4 6 8 101214 Age-4 Abundance (millions) Age-4 Abundance (millions)

290 320 rhoM=-0.75*** Male rhoM=-0.79*** Male rhoF=-0.71*** 280 300 Female rhoF=-0.83*** Female 270 280 260 260 250 240 240 230 220 220 Mean TotalMean Length (mm)

Mean Total Length (mm) Length Total Mean 0246810 0246810 Age-5 Abundance (millions) Age-5 Abundance (millions)

320 rhoM=-0.65*** Male 290 rhoM=-0.80*** Male rhoF=-0.70*** Female rhoF=-0.74*** 300 280 Female 270 280 260 260 250 240 240 230 220 220 Mean Total LengthMean (mm)

Mean TotalMean Length(mm) 02468 02468 Age-6 Abundance (millions) Age-6 Abundance (millions)

320 290 rhoM=-0.62*** Male rhoM=-0.77*** Male 300 rhoF=-0.65*** Female 280 rhoF=-0.76*** Female 270 280 260 260 250 240 240 230 220 220 Mean TotalMean Length(mm) Mean Total Length (mm) 0123456 0123456 Age-7 Abundance (millions) Age-7 Abundance (millions)

Figure 34. Mean length for male and female alewife and blueback herring from the Monument River versus striped bass coastwide abundance for ages 4-7 lagged one year.

41 bycatch in several fisheries off Massachusetts 1985-1987. fishery may be impacting river herring stocks 4. The proportions of alewives that were repeat since fisheries like the Atlantic herring fishery spawners in the Monument River declined in began in the late 1990s and total mortality iwas recent years by 64% or more compared to data shown to increase during that time at least in from 1986-1987. In other rivers, proportions of the Monument River. However, river-specific repeated spawners as high as 0.54 (Charles impacts are impossible to assess at this time River) were observed, but most estimates were because there is no information on river-stock below 0.21 in recent years. Similar reductions composition from the bycatch. in proportions of repeat spawners were Legal Bait Harvesting and Poaching - Although not observed for blueback herring in the Monument well quantified, anecdotally, there was a River. tremendous increase in unreported harvest of 5. Results from the statistical catch-at-age model, river herring both legally and illegally from the and estimates of total instantaneous mortality spawning runs primarily for use as bait in the from age, repeat spawner, and length data recreational striped bass fishery. This occurred showed that the total mortality of alewife in the 6-7 years prior to the moratorium in Monument River during the late 1990s concurrence with the rebuilding of the striped increased by at least 20% compared to the bass stocks. earlier part of the time series. Watershed Alterations - Many rivers in

Massachusetts continue to be severely degraded by water withdrawals, transport of wastewater Acknowledgements out of the watershed, and loss of water inputs due to development within the watershed. Such Funding for this effort was provided by the conditions affect the passage and spawning of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and adults and survival of young. Sprtfish Restoration Funds Grant F-57-R. Thanks to Scott Elzey, Kate L’Heureux and Kim Trull for ageing the 2010 river herring samples. Josh Dayton aged many historical samples from 1993-2004. Summary 1. Count data for three (Parker, Monument and Mattapoisett Rivers) of the five rivers used to Literature Cited estimate trends in passage and total run size indicated a precipitous decline in alewife Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.. abundance after 2000. Such a decline was not 1985. Fishery Management plan for American observed in the Nemasket River, but average shad and river herrings. Management report 6. passage count after 2004 (587,000 fish) was Belding, D. L. 1921. Report upon the alewife about half of the average run size prior to 2004 fisheriess of Massachusetts. Marine Fisheries (1.04 million fish). Abundance has slowly Ser. No. 1. Mass. Div. Marine Fisheries. 135 p. increased in each river since about 2006-2008. (1964 reprint) A decline in the Monument River run size of blueback herring was not observed until after Beltz, J. R. 1975. Movement and behavior of adult 2004 and total run size remains low. anadromous alewives, Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson), in the Parker River Massachusetts. 2. Size data from the Monument River and Stony MS Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 65 Brook indicated that the average total lengths of pp. alewife and blueback herring have declined over time. Herring in the Monument River are Brady, P. D. 1987a. Characterization of Monument currently about 20-27 mm smaller than herring (Herring) River anadromous alewife (Alosa sampled during 1984-1987. aestivalis) run, Bournedale, Massachusetts, 1984-1987. Mass. Div. Mar. Fish Report. 3. The average age of alewife and blueback herring in the Monument River has declined over time. Brady, P. D. 1987b. Characterization of Monument The maximum age of both species is 1-2 years (Herring) River anadromous blueback herring less than the maximum ages observed during (Alosa pseudoharengus) run, Bournedale,

Massachusetts, 1984-1987. Mass. Div. Mar. Gibson, A. J. F. and R. A. Myers. 2003c. Biological Fish Report. reference points for anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) fisheries in the Maritime Chapman, D. G. and D. S. Robson. 1960. The provinces. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. analysis of a catch curve. Biometrics 16: 354- 2468. 50 p. 368. Gibson, A. J. F. and R. A. Myers. 2003c. A meta- Churchill, N. 1981. Population estimate of Alosa analysis of the habitat carrying capacity and pseudoharengus of Herring River, Bournedale, maximum reproductive rate of anadromous 1981. Appendix No. 2 Massachusetts Division alewife in eastern North America. Am. Fish. of Marine Fisheries, Anadromous Fish Project. Soc. Sym. 35: 211-221. East. Sandwich, MA. Huber, M.E. 1978. Adult spawning success and Cieri, M. G. Nelson and M. Armstrong.2008. emigration of juvenile alewives (Alosa Estimates of river herring bycatch in the pseudoharengus) from the Parker River, directed Atlantic herring fishery. Report to the Massachusetts. MS Thesis. Univ. New England Fishery Management Council. Massachusetts, Amherst. 67 pp. Cohen, D. L. 1976. Food habits of larval and Jimenez, D. 1978. Growth and size-selective juvenile anadromous alewives, Alosa feeding of juvenile anadromous alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson), as related to the pseudoharengus, Wilson) in Rock and limnology and zooplankton of Rock and Pentucket Ponds, Georgetown, Massachusetts. Pentucket Ponds, Georgetown, Massachusetts. MS Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 97 MS Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 123 pp. pp. Kornegay, J. W. 1977. A comparison of the scale Cole, C. F., G. S. Libey, M. E. Huber, and D. and otolith methods of ageing alewife (Alosa Jimenez. 1976. Optimal alewife run pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa management, Parker River, Massachusetts. aestivalis). M. S. Thesis, E. Carolina Univ. 27 Final Report to U.S. Department of Commerce, p. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Kosa, J. T. and M. E. Mather. 2001. Processes Service. Project AFC-12. 37 p. contributing to variability in regional patterns of juvenile river herring abundance across small Cole, C. F., R. Essig, and O. Sarnelle. 1978. coastal streams. Trans. A. Fish. Soc. 117:127- Biological investigation of the alewife 141. population, Parker River, MA. Anadromous Fish Act Yearly Report to U.S. Department of Libey, G. S. 1976. A mathematical model and Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric computer simulation of the anadromous Administration, National Marine Fisheries alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson), Service. Project AFC-16-2. 16.p. migration in the Parker River, Massachusetts. Ph.D diss. Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. Deriso RB, Maunder MN, Skalski JR. 2007. Variance estimation in integrated assessment Marcy, B. C.., Jr. 1969. Age determination from models and its importance for hypothesis test. scales of Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson) and Can J Fish Aquat Sci 64:187-197. Alosa aestivalis (Mitchill) in Connecticut waters. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 98(4): 622-630. Gedamke, T. and J. M. Hoenig. 2006. Estimating mortality from mean length data in Mayo, R. R. 1974. Population structure, movement nonequilibrium situations, with application to and fecundity of the anadromous alewife, Alosa the assessment of goosefish. Trans. Am. Fish. pseudoharengus (Wilson), in the Parker River, Soc. 135: 476-487. Massachusetts 1971-1972. MS Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 118 pp. Gibson, A. J. F. and R. A. Myers. 2003a. A statistical, age-structured, life-history-based McAllister MK, Ianelli JN. 1997. Bayesian stock stock assessment model for anadromous Alosa. assessment using catch-age and the sampling- Am. Fish. Soc. Sym. 35: 275-283. importance resampling algorithm. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 54: 284-300.

43 Mullen, D. M., C. W. and J. R. Moring. 1986. Species profile: life histories and environmental

requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (North Atlantic). U. S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.56). U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-8204. 21 pp.

Munroe, T. A. 2002. Herrings. Family Clupeidae. In: Bigelow and Schroeder’s Fishes of the Gulf of Maine, Third Edition, Collette, B. B. and G. Klein-MacPhee (eds). Smithsonian Institution. Murphy, M. D. 1997. Bias in Chapman-Robson and least squares estimators of mortality rates for steady-state populations. U.S. Fish. Bull. 96: 863-868. O’Hara, A.1980. Population parameters of alewives Alosa pseudoharengus entering the Herring River, Bournedale. 1980. Appendix No. 1. Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Sandwich, Massachusetts. Parma A. 2002. Bayesian approaches to the analysis of uncertainty in the stock assessment of Pacific halibut. Amer Fish Soc Sym 27:113-136.

Rideout, S. G. 1974. Population estimate, movement and biological characteristics of the anadromous alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson), utilizing the Parker River, Massachusetts, 1971-1972. MS Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 183 pp. Rideout, S. G., J. E. Johnson, and C. F. Cole. 1979. Periodic counts for estimating the size of spawning population of alewives, Alosa pseudoharengus. Estuaries 2: 119-123. Rothschild, B. J. 1963. A critique of the scale method for determining the age of the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)(Wilson). Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 92(4): 409-413. Seber, G. A. F. 1982. The Estimation of Animal Abundance, Second Edition. Blackwell Press. Walton, C. J. 1983. Growth parameters for typical anadromous and dwarf stocks of alewives, Alosa pseudoharengus (Pisces, Clupeidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes 9:277-287. Yako, L. A., M. E. Mather, and F. Juanes. 2002. Mechanisms for migration of anadromous herring: an ecological basis for effective conservation. Ecol. Appl. 12(2): 521-534.

------4,130,0006,292,000 4,130,000 3,911,000 6,292,000 3,911,000 3,651,000 3,651,000 5,356,0004,779,000 5,356,000 2,900,000 4,779,000 2,900,000 4,517,000 4,517,000 4,861,000 4,861,000 4,062,000 4,062,000 3,064,000 3,064,000 . Source: National Marine Fisheries Ser . Source: Commercial Landings ng in Massachusetts by gear type,ng in Massachusetts by1887-2007 gear . Commercial landings (pounds) of river herri . Commercial landings (pounds) Year Net Dip Purse Seine Float Trap Net Fyke Gillnet Seine Beach Lift Net Trawls Net Pound Unknown Gear Total 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 Appendix Table 1 vice and ASMFC (1985). vice and ASMFC (1985).

------923,000 923,000 958,000946,000879,000 958,000 946,000 879,000 988,000633,000 988,000 468,000502,000 633,000 468,000 502,000 959,000 959,000 984,000 984,000 2,593,000 2,593,000 2,248,0001,386,000 2,248,000 1,790,000 1,386,000 2,212,000 1,790,000 1,164,000 2,212,000 1,164,000 1,086,000 1,086,000 2,266,000 2,266,000 1,249,000 1,249,000 h Seineh Lift Net Trawls Pound Net UnknownGear Total Commercial Landings . Year Dip Net Purse Seine Float Trap Fyke Net Gillnet Beac 1925 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1938 1939 1940 1941 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 195019511952 01953 01954 01955 0 25,100 0 42,300 0 87,000 4,538,200 300 3,700 2,843,000 240,100 12,700 1,869,800 54,000 0 75,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 400 244,500 751,600 230,000 1,804,000 119,500 675,300 0 0 0 0 0 0 4,800 500 0 0 3,700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 0 0 0 1,904,700 0 5,534,700 3,020,200 269,900 276,000 2,621,100 1922 1923 1924 1926 1927 1928 1935 1937 1942 1944 1921 1936 1943 Appendix Table 1 cont

Commercial Landings . YearNet Dip PurseSeine Float Trap Fyke Net Gillnet Beach Seine Lift Net Trawls PoundNet UnknownGear Total 195619571958 14,800 01959 16,2001960 16,439,200 30,0001961 32,482,400 8,752,500 54,0001962 106,800 9,729,400 01963 77,000 01964 27,500 0 0 40,000 01965 16,151,300 339,900 01966 10,882,200 19,107,600 0 26,900 66,200 3,998,6001967 0 6,123,200 0 90,1001968 6,332,200 0 0 0 95,0001969 0 6,106,400 0 0 140,000 14,200 1,167,0001970 0 5,105,8001971 0 92,000 0 1,711,2001972 0 0 0 0 0 3,100 0 0 01973 0 0 38,800 01974 2,379,100 0 0 1,387,900 42,300 0 32,5001975 0 0 0 1,171,700 175,300 0 813,600 01976 0 105,700 0 0 0 518,200 37,800 44,6001977 0 1,230,600 0 0 0 700 798,300 14,2001978 6,400 0 1,190,300 1,631,900 500,000 0 0 0 2,150,000 7,4001979 500 01980 0 17,200 532,900 0 0 0 228,000 0 0 0 01981 436,700 0 0 0 0 0 45,000 0 2,5001982 0 0 0 0 13,000 36,300 0 0 85,000 18,0001983 0 2,500 0 0 0 619,700 28,000 01984 0 0 0 0 13,000 1,600 19,027,100 01985 0 11,618,000 1,500 0 0 37,700 0 33,814,700 0 01986 0 102,500 128,500 0 0 0 0 35,200 0 01987 0 0 106,000 0 110,800 23,900 100,000 0 01988 0 143,200 30,000 24,000 0 01989 0 0 0 100,000 4,000 0 35,580 0 01990 8,921,500 0 0 0 17,651,100 0 0 0 14,200 0 567,700 0 0 0 0 0 0 18,200 0 0 0 0 0 31,300 0 11,735,100 242,700 0 237,500 20,838,200 0 0 0 34,000 0 0 0 0 500 50,000 0 0 0 38,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 8,275,700 0 0 0 0 81,000 0 0 0 0 0 5,528,800 0 0 0 6,935,300 0 400 50,700 0 0 99,000 0 0 0 0 0 5,431,900 45,000 0 0 62300 0 52,000 47,700 6,633,200 0 0 0 0 25,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 80,000 0 600 0 0 0 1,907,400 0 0 11,000 0 0 0 0 0 1,156,300 695,400 0 0 0 8,500 100 0 116,700 222,300 300 0 4,000 0 0 0 8,500 0 0 7,000 1,716,900 100 0 0 100,000 0 0 0 2,500 0 0 0 228,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 131,800 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 701,300 44,900 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 194,100 144,000 0 52,300 84,000 0 53,500 93,100 0 0 0 46,600 0 0 32,400 255,700 32,500 42,580 20,700 Appendix Table 1 cont

Commercial Landings . Year Dip Net Purse Seine Float Trap Net Fyke Gillnet Beach Seine Lift Net Trawls Net Pound Gear Unknown Total 19911992 17,8001993 16,2001994 16,4001995 01996 0 01997 0 01998 01999 02000 0 0 02001 0 0 02002 0 0 02003 0 0 02004 0 0 02005 0 0 0 02006 0 0 0 02007 0 0 0 02008 0 0 0 0 02009 0 2,500 0 0 02010 0 2,500 0 0 0 0 2,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20,300 0 0 0 18,700 0 0 0 0 18,900 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Appendix Table 1 cont

48 blue- Blueback Total numbers and associatednumbers statistics of river herring (alewife and 1982 1984 1985 19871988 83,28119891990 66,2611991 639 20,163 5,6321993 20,163 5621994 3,274 2951995 5,707 63,1181996 1,246 5,632 413 63,118 1997 2,219 3521998 5,504 0 3,274 7471999 9,496 1,1822000 0 3,904 350 739 6,440 1,182 0 02002 02003 4,525 739 0 0 0 639 75,752 02005 1,878 0 2006 0 739 41,962 562 11,6572007 295 0 0 19,3922008 1,246 11,657 0 7392009 1,191 413 5,504 13,837 18,543 9,496 352 747 1,191 56,360 15,360 3,904 0 6,440 0 39,614 18,543 1,191 350 15,360 1,191 0 0 11,657 0 11,657 0 0 0 husetts by recreational anglers. the Alewife . Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey estimates of Total 1982 19831984 1985 1986 811987 32,5061988 1989 81 204241990 1991 1992 811993 01994 9,4111995 811996 9411 01997 1998 32,5061999 02000 0 2042420012002 2003 2,124 0 02004 19862005 237,564 1651 9,4112006 804 1983 2007 853692008 94112009 0 804 0 1992 0 0 0 2,124 237,564 0 1651 85369 804 2001 2004 804 Year Catch SE Releases SE Harvest SE Year Catch SE Releases SE Harvest SE Appendix Table 2 back) harvested and released in Massac

design Census (trap) Census 8 Towns and the Bay DNR CSBB APCC design UMASS UMASS MADMF 2005 to prior MADMF Association design nt data for river herring in Massachusetts. (2008-2009) (20062008) - (20052006) - (20052006) - (2006 - present) (2006 - present) (1967 Total combined Passage. Passage. combined Total 2009) present Electronic - present) (2005 Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback USGS Video (2008) Enumeration Length Weight Sex Age Spawn Repeat (2008 - present)(2008 (2008-2009) (2008-2009) (2008-2009) (2008-2009) (2008-2009) herring 2009 Passage BluebackBlueback (2005 - present) 2009) 2005; (2000-2002; Blueback 2006 - present Blueback Trap (2000 - present) Blueback (2005 - present) BluebackBlueback 2006) - 2005 (2003, (2010) Blueback Passage Blueback - present) (2005 escapement (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) CSBB . Summary of time series of fisheries-independe of time . Summary Run Species Method Counts Data Data Data Data Data Source Comments (Harwich) Blueback (2007 - present) (Holyoke) Video Passage (Wellfleet) Blueback - present) (2007 Little River Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None Audubon MA under continued to be Counts Back River Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Weymouth statistical No design (Combined) Blueback (2008- Video - 1986 1984, 1977-78; 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 MADMF counts) (Visual Jones RiverJones Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None JRWA Bound BrookBound Alewife Visual Passage (2010) None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design Herring RiverHerring Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None APCC Stratified random Herring RiverHerring Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None MADMF Stratified random Ipswich RiverIpswich Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None IRWA statistical No design Charles RiverCharles Blueback (2008- Video Combined 1993 1985; 1993 1985; 1993 1985; 1993 1985; 1993 1985; MADMF Herring BrookHerring Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design Agawam RiverAgawam Alewife/ Electronic Combined 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 Wareham Acushnet River Alewife/ Trap Total and combined Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife MADMF Census 1st Herring Brook1st Herring Alewife Visual Passage None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design Connecticut RiverConnecticut Blueback Fishlift/ combined and Total None None None None None USFWS Census 3rd Herring Brook Herring 3rd Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design 2nd Herring Brook Herring 2nd Alewife Visual Passage None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design Marston Mills River Mills Marston Alewife/ Visual Passage Combined None None None None None Watershed Stratified random Coonamessett RiverCoonamessett Alewife/ VisualPassage Combined None None None None None Falmouth Appendix Table 3

design counts from 2005-2007 replace ladder) existing 2008 & 2009 (counterwas & 2009 2008 used to replace failed counter to (plans 2010 River; Matt. on CSBB UMASS counts in 2006-2007 MADMF & 2007 (high water) 2003-2005 MADMF PRCWA 1978 - 2010 1978 1978 - 2010 1978 Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback electronic counter (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2005-2010) (2009, 2010) (1987 - 2010) (1987 (2000 - present)(2000 (2007 - present)(2007 (2007 - present)(2007 (1995-2002; 2006) (1995-2002; 1996; 1998 - present1996; 2004 - 2010 - 2010 2004 2004 - 2010 2004 - 2010 2004 - 2010 MADMF 1978; 2000 - Present) Video Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback Blueback UMASS 2009) 1990 - present - 2010 1995 1995 - 2010 1995 - 2010 counter Passage 2006 - 2007 - 2007 2006 2006 - 2007 2006 - 2007 2006 - 2007 MADMF Counter Passage Video (2008- 1984-1987; 1990 - 2010 1993, 1990 - 2010 1993, 1993, (video) (2008 - 2009) (2004) (2004) (2004) (2004) (2004) Enumeration Length Weight Sex Age Spawn Repeat Blueback Counter Passage Blueback Counter Passage Blueback 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 BluebackBluebackBlueback - present) (2008 - present) (2008 (2006, 2008, 2010) (2004-2010) 2007 - present (2004-2010) (2004-2010) (2004-2010) (2004) (2004-2010) Plymouth (2004) (2004) (2004) (2004) APCC design BluebackBlueback Video VisualBlueback - Present) (1983 escapement: 1980-81; 1987,- 1984 1984 - 1987, 1987,- 1984 1984 - 1987, - 1987, 1984 UMASS (2004-2010) (2004-2010) (2004-2010) (2004-2010) (2004-2010) counting using . cont

Run Species Method Counts Data Data Data Data Data Source Comments Cape CodCape Blueback Abund: 1978-2010 1978-2010 for both spp.: Cape CodCape Blueback Abund: 1978-2010 1978-2010 for both spp.: Town RiverTown Alewife/ Electronic Combined None None None None None Bridgewater Trunk River Alewife Visual Escapement None None None None None Falmouth statistical No design South River Alewife/ Visual Combined Passage None None None None None NSRWA statistical No design Town BrookTown Alewife/ Visual Combined Passage Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife MADMF statistical No design Mystic River Alewife/ None* None* Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife MADMF Future site for fish Stony Brook Alewife/ Visual Combined Passage Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife Alewife MADMF Stratified random Pilgrim Lake Alewife Visual Combined Passage None None None None None APCC Stratified random Parker River Alewife Visual Passage (1972 - 1971-1972 None 1971-1978 1971-1978 None (1974), Mayo Detrition affectedof weir Sippican River Alewife Electronic Combined None None None None None AA Counter not installed from Quashnet River Alewife/ None None Both sp.: Both sp.: Both sp.: Both sp.: Both sp.: MADMF Ocean South of Alewife/ Survey Trawl Age-1 Relative Both sp.: Agreggate None None None MADMF Wankinco River Alewife/ Electronic Combined None None None None None Wareham Ocean North of Alewife/ Survey Trawl Age-1 Relative Both sp.: Agreggate None None None MADMF Nemasket River Alewife Visual Passage 1996, 2000, 1996, 2000, 1996, 2000, 1996, 2000, 1996, 2000, MLHFC statistical No design Merrimack River Alewife/ Fishlift/ Combined Passage None None None None None USFWS affected High water Monument River Alewife/ Electronic Total combined and Both spp.: Both spp.: Both spp.: Both spp.: Both spp.: MADMF Census Mattapoisett River Alewife Electronic Combined 1995; 1995; 1995; 1995; 1995; AA . Appendix Table 3

0 0 64,200 75,426 61,668 80,971 72,763 43,741 114,632 101,302 Alewife Blueback Alewife Combined Alewife MattapoisettRiver Monument River Nemasket River Year Passage Removals Year Total Count Total Count Removals Year Passage Removals 197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983 19721984 19731985 19741986 19751987 19761988 19771989 1978 22,0001990 1979 40,0001991 1980 47,0001992 0 3,000 1981 47,0001993 3,960 1982 20,357 44,0001994 16,320 1983 49,483 44,0001995 3,960 1984 44,000 70,736 19891996 12,000 1985 1988 75,000 85,796 19901997 24,000 1986 104,645 1991 58,000 62,2801998 6,000 1987 53,715 33,480 1992 62,397 130,709 6,000 1993 104,000 75,734 99,646 1994 1972 124,316 52,686 6,000 97,000 269,502 24,017 1980 1973 110,803 245,151 39,117 1995 1981 47,000 122,935 1974 53,950 1996 9,665 280,001 31,320 53,880 1975 213,249 37,912 1984 49,350 1998 1976 73,002 134,590 59,008 56,380 1977 1985 395,201 1990 1978 36,210 1986 56,210 1991 477,432 17,520 1979 1987 35,280 66,513 1992 1997 292,970 93,339 1993 1994 80,881 1982 53,855 1989 1988 1995 1983 1996 345,074 1,094,860 1998 83,045 866,538 1997 19992000 107,0002001 130,000 2,5002002 77,000 2,5002003 50,0002004 25,0002005 0 1999 5,3852006 0 2000 8,0002007 0 21,754 6,2702008 0 73,902 6,0112009 0 2001 191,516 9,9872010 0 2002 597,937 10,356 70,973 0 2003 46,478 12,319 29,859 0 25,530 2004 0 400,422 70,181 2005 0 182,031 1999 2006 39,602 32,552 116,718 2000 2007 22,944 1,043,906 49,211 2008 121,184 22,192 1,069,000 18,990 2009 79,483 8,140 2010 23,954 2001 18,532 52,472 30,536 2002 1,192 476,779 69,385 2003 9,358 1,919,000 84,196 154,532 0 2004 793,000 96,355 0 578,000 2005 0 0 401,000 0 2006 2007 505,000 2008 2009 659,880 848,848 760,717 2010 763,884 0 0 0 . Passage, total and removal numbers of river herring from select Massachusetts of river herring from numbers . Passage, total and removal rivers. Appendix Table 4

Herring R.Herring R. Herring 65,826 326 680 Combined Combined Combined Combined Combined Combined Combined Alewife Combined Combined Detrition of Parker River Marston-MillsBrook Stony Agawam Wankinco Sippican Town River Pilgrim Lake (Harwich) (Wellfleet) stream weirs affected 2006-2007 . . Year Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage Passage 1996 199719981999 6,3962000 4,2422001 7,965 2002 7,8942003 2,2442004 3,5002005 1,5002006 1,4472007 747 2008 50020092010 60 485 800 1,800 13,996 30,252 100,473 33,383 2,788 19,197 71,026 610 30,429 53,173 671 36,354 30,057 8,246 959 6,539 10,665 558 359 53,315 72,000 33,000 193,069 89 27,783 29,465 310,000 8,596 25,000 1,525 906 23,537 31,589 197219731974 12,097 1975 38,163 1976 34,163 1977 24,539 1978 13,998 1979 6,654 1980 13,116 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Appendix Table 4 cont

53 ngth Mattapoisett River Mattapoisett Nemasket River rivers byyear. Length intervals are 10-mm total le sex and 190 200 310320330 340 2 11 2 6 1 4 2 1 1 5 1 1 6 190 200 210 220230 310330 340 1 6 1 1 Alewife

2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 1995 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2007 2007 Mystic River Mystic Back River . Length frequencies of alewife and blueback herring from various herring from frequencies of alewife and blueback . Length 2004 2005 2006 2004 2005 2006 190 200 210220230 1240 7250 16260 10 8270 12 6280 12 2 8290 9 15300 3 3310 1 15 2 1320 4 6 2 2 3 3330 2340 9 1 2 4 2 29 7 5 2 6 7 1 44 35 6 10 2 7 28 1 36 21 26 12 1 28 25 1 1 7 28 21 11 8 1 3 14 6 27 3 13 1315 2 10 22 3 8 9 2 1 1 2 7 1 10 3 2 7 8 12 2 250 2 230 4 260 1 240 10 220 20 1 210 270 1 1 9 25 23 1 30 280 7 6 215935 16 1 51 35 9 2 40 300 290 19 21 40 84 1 31 40 15 1 51 14 34 43 19 47 1 76 131 25 29 9 17 76 28 18 106 74 64 9 17 19 14 30 66 7 96 19 10 81 77 67 1 6 29 2 27 72 39 14 8 4 2 96 67 45 1 14 1 62 40 29 14 51 17 2 1 33 51 15 11 78 1 1 23 15 6 45 1 5 190 200 210 220 230 240250260270280290300310 320330 340 1 19 59 5 16 78 57 54 64 15 48 2 15 5 1 240 250 260 270 1 280 4 12 290 19 300 7 5 8 8 320 6 2 18 7 11 14 3 3 2 9 2 7 1 2 6 4 3 2 2 3 3 4 8 5 1 Total 71 56 10 12 24 29 139 134 108 53 62 65 14 26 Total 139 127 147 130 197 127 394 255 259 213 313 191 276 231 Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 228 211 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 54 50 0 0 0 0 35 24 14 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 LmMMFFFFFFT m F mmM MFMFMFMFMFMF TL FMFMFMFMFMF mmMFM TL LmMMFFFFFFT m FFFFFFM F F mmM MFMFMFMFMFMF TL FMFMFMFMFMF mmMFM TL Appendix Table 5 bins with the label equal to the lower limit of bin. bins with the

Stony Brook Stony Agawam 190 200 210 220 230240250 2260 14270 23 1 280 3 34290 6 30 12 300 13 36 310 1 24 320 330 14 340 1 190 200 330 340 Alewife 13101 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2007

Quashnet River Quashnet Town Brook Town 2004 2005 2006 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 1991 190 200 210 220 230240250 2260 11270 20 1 2 280 18 13 290 11 21 300 4 26 131 310 250 320 20 330 4 340 190 200 210220230 1240 12501612623250237432833582428525 5260 12270 2 1280 25 3290 8 22 33 20300 3 1 40 30310 3 9 14320 16 5 44 10 27330 31 4 3 34340 12 4 1 11 46 43 13 9 108 36 6 78 60 2 9 43 70 73 1 5 10 16 74 31 15 3 3 35 1 70 49 2 40 14 13 56 1 37 45 12 85 1 63 1 64 4 20 44 1 6 14 79 7 1 4 22 260 240 9 6 270 38 1 230 23 6 3 23 11 8 280 3 220 18 3 210 14 14 25 290 2 6 300 13 1 320 5 Total 66870 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0000Total 85 95 154 Total 143 137 11797 128 310 246 257 0 207 245 000 212 278 227 Total 0 86 0 71 0 0 0 0 0 0 LmMMFFFFFFT m F MFMFMFMFMFMF mmM TL FMFMFMFMFMF mmMFM TL TL mmTL M F M F M F M F M F M F M F mm TL M F Appendix Table 5 cont.

Quashnet River Quashnet Agawam Charles Nemasket 290 300 310 320 330 340 190 200210220240 2250260270 1280 2290300 3 16 3 19310 16 2 10 2320 10 16 20330 3 8 8 1 7340 5 11 1 4 1 9 16 14 4 15 1 7 9 3 1 1 2 4 1 Blueback Town Brook Mystic River Mystic

. cont

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20102004 2004 2005 2005 2006 2007 2006 2008 2007 2009 2008 2010 2009 2010 1991 1985 1993 2004 021268 210 1902002 210 1718213 220 200 230240250260270280 14290 22 2 1 14 11 41 5 13 37 2 28 18 5 13 16 3 36 97 70 1 3 50 8 8 64 3 50 43 31 28 3 4 5 60 4 5 1 145 14 25 49190 87 37 1 10 3 74 112 3 19 7 105 25 5 37 29 43 2 1 1 3 27 38 6 230 240 3 2 220 10 1 250 2 190 260 1 2 1 270 280 300 310320 330 340 5 200 210 220 230240250260270 280 290 300 3 1310 2 320 1 1 1 330 340 230 2 1 3 7 5 1 Total 0 0 59 65 129 33 243 217 157 28 330 149 287 118 Total766370616820 TotalTotal01710000000000 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LmMFMFMFFMFFMFT m FMF MFMFMFMFMF F M F M FMF mmM M FMF M mmM F TL TL FMF MFMF F M F M FMF mmM M FMF M mmM F TL TL Appendix Table 5

56 al length around 1 10 1 221 1 9 111 11 22 1 113512315 320325 2 1 330335 1340 1 1 3 1 6 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 7 2761605010635 8 7 5 5 35121836 6 237 6 14171139 7 105 240245250255260 8 20232829 8 7571 3 1 3 128 6265 4 3 18 8 17 3 133 5147 1 157 3270 22 6 1019414 1512275 5 7 10139 3 8 9 9280 22198 1823102 20181414141223259 1317125 11125 11014 1 1414107 3285 241 23139 2 4290 3 2 22951820139 1 1 6 3 17811830020135139134114541121412 8 1 8 4 14272211 5 117125 121716211610153011101613157 305 1 3 2 8 4310 1313113231957332108122063 6 4 2 7 8 11151416135 7 101116107 6 1111 5 6 5 10103 1 1 1 1342 2 2 62 8 10 63 12 18 12 47 14 10 132522 16 14 2 15 15 11 0161334 19 23 16 25 9 11 11 9 20 18 15 16 7 17 1 8 10 12 12 14 9 3 10 29 26 34 22 29 32 30 37 5 2 4646268719 15151532344238 3 3 5101839925 230 1311615 1235 1240 2 1 6245 310152133 9 101524472532 1250 2 4255 4 2 2260 7 3271982 3265 147411270 3275 263388 4 20152219155 1 1 41221121110114132466 8108 4 4 5280 714371115 141624162216282721197 828510101417584447922721233 9 14815 228 3 4 26208 3 11 6 144167 929016959 166 142566 8631 9 5 123 295 2 6 3 7 3 1252 300 3104121424 8 1 2 7 2 2 3 4102 11 8 462 72 8 21 2 2191022122332031 4 8 9 14 1 17 1 5 1 26 131 21 25 18 14 20 11 15 12 22 20 1 8 25 24 3 10 29 46235 2 38 18 31 2172 33 12 15 13 23 13 12 15 5 1 18 23 12 4 27 16 12 1 5 9 20 13 16 8 16 12 13 6 3 10 38 40 36 24 22 28 16 22 51 50 12 26 205 210 215 220 225 305310315320 2325 2330 1 6 3 4 205 3 3 210 1 215 1 220 225 230 Total 127 104 87 118 135 161 97 92 122 92 137 174 90 79 117 99 108 44 72 66 58 185 194 157 216 Total 96 83 83 99 124 205 93 79 139 123 197 197 101 131 132 112 133 45 95 82 61 220 286 158 264 Alewife Male Alewife Alewife Female Alewife Total Length (mm) Length Total 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 (mm) Length Total 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 . Length frequencies of alewife and blueback herring by sex and year from the Monument River. Length bins are +/- 2.5 mm tot mm 2.5 are +/- bins Length River. Monument the from year and sex by herring blueback and alewife of frequencies Length . Appendix Table 6 the midpoint shown. shown. midpoint the

1 1 01 212425 11 1124

205 210 215 220225 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 200 2215 7220 19225 2023014 211235 3 1240 123 21114575 53245 8 1 325013236 14143633581 255 22322115613710681113121918 13 7 726015361 9151491612122413 2 159322117 521 1 7 41441 126517394 2 5483 931270 111162368393361091418 8 1275 1 2 3 2 1112280 2 13285 3 3 121 7 1 11 290 5 5295 11 19 8300 142 4 5305 3 10 4 2 3 6 4310 2 2 4 7128109 2 12 4 3315 3320 2 1 8 2325 11 1 3330 1 5 521481234 23 1 9 1 3 11 6 1117113106511710 1 3 3 5 2 2 5 5 7 1 4 2 13 1 1 11230 4 12352 12 2240 13 2245 7 8250 925513342 9 1 1111232448313582175494126 26013433 1161363361 3 21747888224 326517343 11 8853 1 1141232313 5270 7874 6 10 1275 2 1 2535326434 11280 13 5914285 3722 13 1 7 17 1 76122290 2 1 2311 1 5 5 26201 41417182410 295 2177 8 4 2 7 104 11 4300 5 285 38 6117 13 9305 13 8 4310 57165368111420 12 3 2 2315 3 1 3 11320 1 12 1 325 6 1 2 14 1 1 6330 2 5 8 1 3 4 4 1 9 111 2 2 12 10 1 21 2 1 2 3 3 31141134 1 1 1 1 4 16 1 2 2 7 1 4 3 2 7 1 10 1 10 3 11 5 13 5 11 3 14 8 3 205210 1 1 1 Total 138 36 51 69 115 64 22 24 23 22 35 124 12 31 37 44 70Total 76 50 101 51 55 65 43 82 35 71 92 80 71 63 14 13 26 21 20 100 18 4 20 28 43 70 49 40 56 69 67 80 67 Blueback Male Blueback Female Total Length (mm) 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Length (mm) 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Appendix Table 6 cont.

Appendix Table 7. Sample size (n), mean, and standard deviation (SD) of total length distributions of alewife and blueback herrings by sex collected in nine rivers , 1985-2010.

Alewife - Females Agawam Back Mattapoisett Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Stony Brook Town Brook Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD 1991 71 282.2 11.88 1995 50 289.4 14.52 2004 56 260.9 14.57 127 291.5 14.36 87 270.9 11.96 97 275.5 12.53 95 271.0 12.11 2005 12 270.7 18.69 130 280.4 15.22 143 265.9 13.67 2006 24 273.4 10.61 23 257.9 13.51 127 275.3 13.66 128 263.6 11.10 2007 211 283.9 12.69 24 282.6 13.73 134 260.3 15.83 255 278.1 12.41 246 270.2 12.18 2008 53 257.9 16.01 213 282.1 12.51 207 266.7 13.00 2009 65 260.5 13.12 191 278.3 11.33 212 268.1 12.74 2010 26 255.7 12.16 231 281.4 11.67 227 271.5 11.22

Alewife - Males Agawam Back Mattapoisett Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Stony Brook Town Brook Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD 1991 86 269.8 13.63 1995 54 274.9 13.94 2004 71 250.6 18.00 141 282.6 15.15 66 259.8 11.59 117 264.4 12.56 85 259.1 14.25 2005 10 262.2 20.21 147 273.0 16.16 154 255.1 11.17 2006 35 263.1 11.51 16 237.0 13.37 197 265.1 13.35 137 253.8 11.44 2007 228 273.7 11.00 14 266.6 15.78 139 248.9 13.16 395 276.6 12.84 310 261.2 11.75 2008 108 250.9 12.03 259 269.1 13.03 257 258.5 12.79 2009 62 251.8 10.88 313 268.1 11.06 245 258.6 11.33 2010 14 252.3 11.71 276 272.1 10.67 278 260.1 11.49

Blueback - Females Agawam Charles Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Town Brook Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD 1985 70 276.8 20.58 1991 6 262.3 16.71 1993 68 264.1 20.18 2004 3 259.0 4.359 1 261.0 NA 2005 61 251.5 14.31 1 232.0 NA 2006 38 242.8 13.99 2007 217 248.0 11.77 2008 28 247.4 12.70 2009 150 244.2 7.76 2010 118 247.6 9.48

Blueback - Males Agawam Charles Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Town Brook Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD n Length SD 1985 63 256.7 11.81 1991 7 242.9 17.61 1993 61 235.8 20.30 2004 2 232.5 6.36 5 231.6 5.413 2005 58 236.1 10.59 7 244.43 9.981 2006 131 230.6 11.20 2007 243 239.0 10.04 2008 157 233.4 14.05 2009 333 234.7 10.42 2010 287 238.9 8.74

59 lected in Blueback Herring length distributions of alewife and blueback herrings by sex col distributions length 1988 1989 Monument River Alewife Mean Mean Mean Mean Female Male Female Male . Sample size (n), mean, and standard deviation (SD) of total size (n), (SD) of total mean, and standard deviation . Sample Year n Length SD n Length SD Year n Length SD n Length SD 1989 199019911992 1351993 1611994 97 282.11995 92 283.41996 1221997 14.27 275.5 921998 15.49 271.2 137 267.81999 124 12.54 1742000 269.2 205 10.36 90 274.62001 14.55 79 270.0 274.92002 93 12.45 117 267.62003 11.95 79 274.8 139 99 13.872004 12.77 263.9 108 265.2 123 13.34 263.52005 197 15.27 264.7 44 256.22006 265.5 197 12.78 72 11.69 275.42007 12.02 257.4 66 11.28 265.8 101 12.65 19902008 270.5 13.01 58 262.7 131 19912009 12.72 270.8 132 185 8.99 10.482010 262.3 265.1 11.35 194 71 1992 112 13.97 253.5 263.7 133 11.59 157 63 251.1 1993 269.1 1994 12.42 10.73 216 262.6 45 259.7 259.7 10.44 14.04 14 264.2 1995 10.58 265.5 1996 12.88 95 265.9 13 26 270.7 1997 13.75 82 10.22 11.65 260.7 11.62 61 263.2 9.54 1998 16.00 220 21 20 262.4 10.70 261.9 255.6 1999 286 100 259.2 10.80 115 2000 13.67 249.4 11.17 259.4 158 64 18 256.4 11.09 259.0 2001 15.90 264 11.17 253.0 254.1 2002 247.2 4 20 11.41 22 7.89 256.2 11.19 9.24 249.6 246.7 259.4 2003 12.23 24 14.40 23 28 14.19 43 2004 237.5 248.5 10.23 246.8 11.17 2005 10.84 35 6.18 124 22 243.3 70 242.8 248.8 2007 2006 17.56 255.7 49 8.75 14.35 2008 40 17.24 242.9 11.66 235.4 11.83 12 243.6 248.1 2009 11.10 69 31 2010 56 254.8 37 67 13.24 9.57 13.64 251.9 10.01 44 233.3 70 80 10.71 250.3 232.9 247.9 67 234.9 11.82 244.1 9.85 76 232.4 10.04 12.23 243.2 12.31 246.0 50 244.3 9.17 9.52 51 8.92 234.9 10.36 82 8.07 65 242.9 9.66 72 242.4 11.04 10.07 235.0 92 238.0 80 10.72 232.5 10.55 9.51 236.3 233.7 10.78 8.47 9.20 198419851986 1271987 1041988 87 295.6 118 291.3 13.17 297.5 295.1 12.80 16.51 96 16.30 83 83 281.3 99 277.8 14.85 284.6 281.1 16.72 15.34 14.25 1984 1985 1986 101 1987 55 265.9 43 35 279.4 16.17 272.9 271.7 14.59 138 12.87 17.32 36 253.4 51 69 268.5 20.45 261.7 247.4 16.29 12.44 18.00 Appendix Table 8 the Monument River, 1984-2010. River, 1984-2010. the Monument

Stony Brook Stony Quashnet River Town Brook Alewife herring from Massachusetts rivers, 2004-2010. Massachusetts rivers, 2004-2010. herring from Female Male Female Male Female River Mattapoisett MaleFemale FemaleNemasket RiverFemale Male Male Male Female Agawam Female Male Male Mystic River Age composition of alewife and blueback Age composition Back River 00100 120 60004000 0 0 46100000048000 0 0 0152000 0 0 0 036000 3100000011000 0 0200000000 0 0 00000 03000340000 5230000006000 035000 40001190000 2000000000005000480000 0 0600050000 0 0 04000700030000 0 01000800010000 0 00000 600000000000 0 700000000000 0 0 0 800000000000 0 0 0 0 0 210000001 0 0000034 200000000000 45 0 40 0621158401 1 0 01241 0 9700020000 5 0 00000800000000 0 1 00000 6 61301328272525010242712 9 6 711004820101 37 6 2 75 4 800011000000 4 10 0 1 25 0 7 0 4 4 30 10200000000 0 14 00000 9 183 254 34 5343614301791236297 3 20 05 23 2 10 4640196 52 4 50781115421 6 11111 6 54 3 27801010000 3 56 0 10000 57 163 34 22 68 71 1 39 38 59 80 56 2 134 48 7 0 5 35 60 0 0 80 11 9 2 71 22 39 14 65 50 4 2 63 91 10 3 4 257 31 62 52 5 76 82 5 41 118 79 110 20 35 36 88 75 96 25 164 26 51 8 27 81 26 42 4 65 38 4 69 89 2 35 5 50 75 20 28 3 104 63 17 80 1 49 14 16 190 27 27 45 113 11 61 91 6 45 24 73 94 10 74 47 47 2090060600400000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 440000000600 0 0 0 200000000 0 0 0000000 0340090000 0 9 543000000330 370000002200 00150000 0 42000900002600160000 20000000005130050000100040000 0 0690010000 9 0 0000000 0740000000 0 0 00000008 6600000010 0 7100000000 0 0 0000000 0 0 0000000 0 0 0 0 0 0 8000000000 0 0 0 0 0 Age 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Total Age 0 2004 2005 2006 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 0 2004 2005 210 2006 2007 2008 0 2009 0 2010 0 0 0Age 2004 2005 0 2006 2007 228 2008 2009 2010 2004 0 2005 2006 2007 0 2008 2009 2010 0Total 56 Age Total 2004 12 2005 2006 85Age 2007 15 2008 2009 2004 126 2010 2005 0 2004 2006 2005 2007 53 2006 2008 2007 2009 0 2010 56 2004 2008 2005 2009 26 0 2006 2007 2010 2008 71 2009 0 2010 10Total 0 123 10 Age 129 133 0 1991 124 108 251 65 58 213 1991 148 0 14 189 139 0 146 Total 0 195 94 393 129 259 0 126 252 243 189 207 0 177 179 Total 0 83 71 153 136 307 86 257 206 180 oa5020050300 oa90001600 0 0 0 Total9700000011600 Age 1995 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 1995 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Total50002400005400350000 2010 Age 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Appendix Table 9.

Town Brook Town Blueback Mystic River Mystic

Female Male Female Male Quashnet RiverQuashnet Female Male Agawam Female Male Charles Female Male 0 40 31 213 28 136 118 0 42 110 237 157 300 180 Total 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0000 0 52212 0 00000 3 00 04 5 0000000000 5 0 06 0 0 9 0 0 3 2273 3 620 10001 07 9498 2 0 3 0 0011 0 2103023152 100 6 00000 8 32 0 0 0000 0 001 7 00000 0 2 00 18 0 8 0 0 0 00 0 62 0 94 0 0 1 0000000000 00 0 0 0 0000000000 12 0 4 0 0000000000 0 49 75 44 71 0 0 22 18 58 42 125 81 67 55 54 207 135 41 3 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0000 0 000 00000 3 0 0000 0 000 2 03000 4 2 0000 0 000 3 02000 5 0 0 1 0000 0 000 4 00000 6 0 1 0 0000 0 000 5 00000 7 3 2 2 0 0000 0 000 6 00000 8 2 0 3 2 0 0000 0 000 7 0 00000 1 2 4 2 01 8 3 21233028 0 5 0 722 2629195 0 6 0 8 7 1 9 00 8+7 6 65 3 12 Age 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Age 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Age 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Total 2010 3 Age 0 1991 1991 0 0 Age 0 1985 1993 0 1985 1993 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 6 7 Total 68 63 Appendix Table 9 cont.

Appendix Table 10. Age composition of alewife and blueback herring from the Monument River, 1985- 2010.

Alewife

Female Age 1985 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 3 7210 50216 65 832 6105218130 4 2829382443602029187760353453352697898061 5 2930321917232235131824451717241722694883 6 519207115514044 640 1 4 316126 7 45151 00010 01 000 0 0 4 100 8 3140 00000 00 000 0 0 0 100 Total 76 86 110 51 76 88 49 80 37 105 94 94 58 72 66 57 178 194 141 180

Male Age 1985 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 3 17 10 2 6 34 25 16 6 17 13 16 23 6 6 9 24 93 83 11 64 4 264039214859305620836062447154321001298877 5 12 27 34 13 12 22 9 25 11 15 29 36 16 15 17 5 16 65 30 37 6 85134 23461 12 120 2 0 2 881 7 2120 00010 00 010 0 0 0 100 8 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 Total 65 83 90 44 96 109 59 94 49 112 107 122 69 92 82 61 211 286 137 179

Blueback

Female Age 1985 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 3 9040 00100 12 0551151171330 4 22 14 1 5 7 10 30 12 3 9 14 29 44 30 14 33 48 46 45 29 5 1919164 85162197 919131418912138 6 2571 31301 00 200 0 0 0 030 7 1131 00200 00 000 0 0 0 200 8 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 Total53393111181652145 1923406848395668677467

Male Age 1985 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2 0000 01000 00 000 0 0 0 100 3 12581 1625456179131481444223160 4 17323111711275221614404831334031443715 5 514162 84522 6910839116 5175 6 2041 02100 01 000 1 0 0 000 7 0010 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 8 0000 00000 00 000 0 0 0 000 Total3651601516245811292841596948516581728580

63 . lated due to small sample size lated due to small sample sex, river and year. sex, river and *=not calcu Male Male Alewife Female Blueback Female Average age (years)Average herring collected by of alewife and blueback atpiet------48-----.------4.2-- Brook------4.5----- River - Agawam------4.6------Back Brook------4.44.34.04.24.84.94.6 Mattapoisett------4.8------3.9--- 1971Monument 1972 - 1973 1974Mystic------4.14.74.43.94.34.43.6 1975 1976Nemasket------5.34.84.24.45.05.04.4 1977 - 1978Parker6.05.24.34.55.35.75.14.4------1985 1986 - 1987Quashnet------4.3------1991 1993Stony 1995 1996Town 1997 - 1998 - 1999 ------4.0-- 2000 2001 Brook------4.1------2002River 2003 2004Agawam------4.3------2005 - 2006Back 2007 Brook------4.04.03.84.04.54.64.2 2008Mattapoisett------4.4------3.7--- 2009 - - 1971 2010 Monument 1972 1973 1974Mystic------3.84.33.53.63.84.33.6 - 1975 1976Nemasket------4.94.74.04.14.64.64.1 - 1977 - 1978Parker5.74.24.04.55.05.45.14.4------1985 - - 1986 - 1987Quashnet------3.9------1991 4.7 1993Stony 1995 5.0 1996Town 1997 - 1998 5.2 1999 2000 2001 - - - 2002 2003 Brook------*---- 2004 4.7 2005 - 2006River 2007 4.4 2008Agawam------4.7------2009 - 4.4 2010 - Charles------5.2---4.8------*---- - 4.6Monument - 4.8 1971Mystic------4.14.44.04.53.63.4 1972 1973 4.2 1974Quashnet------*------1975 - 1976 4.2Town 1977 1978 4.3 4.3 1985 Brook------1986 4.4 1987 4.5 1991 1993 4.7River 1995 - 4.4 1996Agawam------4.7------1997 - 4.2 1998Charles------4.4---4.0------1999 - 2000 4.3 4.3Monument 2001 1971 2002 4.3Mystic------3.53.73.83.83.23.3 1972 2003 3.8 - 1973 2004 1974Quashnet------*----- 3.9 2005 1975 4.0 - 2006 1976Town 2007 1977 - 4.5 4.0 1978 2008 1985 2009 - 4.5 1986 4.4 2010 1987 - 1991 4.4 3.9 1993 1995 - 1996 4.0 - 1997 1998 4.2 1999 - 2000 4.3 2001 4.1 2002 4.8 2003 - 4.2 2004 5.1 2005 4.1 2006 2007 - - 2008 4.1 2009 2010 3.7 4.8 - 3.7 4.8 - 4.0 4.4 4.3 4.5 3.9 4.1 3.9 4.2 4.6 4.3 4.4 - 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.2 4.0 4.2 3.7 4.1 3.8 4.2 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.2 3.9 4.1 4.0 3.7 3.9 3.8 4.1 4.0 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.3 Appendix Table 11.

Town Brook Quashnet River Stony Brook Stony river, sex and year. and 0 = new spawner, 1=second-time 2= river, sex Alewife Mystic River Mystic Nemasket River Agawam Back River Mattapoisett River Repeat spawner frequencies for alewife and blueback herring by Repeat Female Male Female Male FemaleFemale Male Male Female Fem Male Male Female Male Female Male 302000404000 00000102000000 770 0004400340000 0009001000003300230 1140010 122 0000013000000 000030 00010000000 0000 170 00000000000 2 3 20 000001000000 10 000000000000 80213901121 111810375050301317664705821 1 60 9 1 18001271431930716102 2 36 110353 214002020 11 10011 000000100 15 110 40 400 2 020 3824830945 3115712061369 221 3 3124113037423534301547433825 200 100000000202 70 215138 483 98 12011 003410020 7 112 2 218 20 10 167 125 103 91 146 46 78 3 12 104 00 176 347 207 208 159 0 81 110 116 0 202 146 63 122 142 77 69 134 130 237 174 140 150 016 00000202000 000062000000 0 7900 00000230000 0001860 1 000160 2 000703 000003000 1 00010 000000000 600 00003000000 2 000 00000000000 3 000 00000000000 RPS 1995 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 1995 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 RPS 2006 2007 2004 2008 2005 2009 2006 2010 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 1991 1991 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 oa 04 0 0500Ttl9000000116000000 970 000 Total 00240 00350000 Total Total 56 12 15 126 53 56Total 26 123 71 129 124 10 252 10 213 134 148 108 189 58 139 146 14 195 394 259 252 189 Total 94 130 126 Total 243 207 71 177 86 179 83 153 136 307 257 206 180 oa001000000228000 6500 Total8500 Total0002100 Appendix Table 12. third-time spawner, etc.third-time

Mystic River Town Brook Town Blueback Quashnet River Females Males Females Males Females Males Total 70 66 63 63 AgawamFem Male Female Charles Male

01 30 000005000000 2 00 000000000000 3 00 000000000000 00 000000000000 265722337343722 012 0 03 01 0 263110005721 00 3276151702 001000000200 36 26 180 18 120 100 0 33 87 195 114 262 156 012300 33002 6 0 0 7 0 0 0 1 2 32 18 37 10 18 32 11 21 47 10 10 4 01 11 000000700000 2 00 000000000000 3 00 000000000000 00 000000000000 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 oa3 000005000000 Total30 Total 0 37 31 213 28 136 118 0 35 110 237 157 301 179 oa1 000000700000 Total11 RPS 1991 1991Total RPS 6 1985 1993 7 1985 1993 4 7 0 0 0 Appendix Table 12 cont.

66 from the Monument River by sex and year. 0 = new spawner, year. River by 0 = new sex and the Monument from Alewife Female Male Blueback Female Male Repeat spawner frequencies for alewife and Repeat blueback herring 272 55013340013327 0 476241707235473397816751716149163165122156 1 25269414928471024315812261717 2 1217122 3 25000 00000000000000 01 2427942682261018341053313341411 2 51 891103 55011331000201 53 01000 00000100000000 34 91 83 46 67 43 101 88 84 56 87 79 58 198 250 123 167 21190100322281441 0 241991615431441923376646374867637066 1 127121 2 251003 00000000000000 10000 00000000000000 01403301823395431 01 109114 2 40 131003 00000000000000 48 00000 00000000000000 13 15 20 58 8 26 28 40 51 67 45 48 56 76 68 82 79 RPS 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 RPS 1986 1987 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total 86 110 51 76 88 49 80 37 105 94 94 58 72 66 58 178 194 141 180 Total 83 90 44 96 109 59 94 49 112 107 122 69 93 82 61 211 286 137 179 Total 39 31 11 18 16 52 14 5 19 23 40 68 48 39 56 68 67 74 67 Total51601516245811292841596948516581728580 Appendix Table 13. 1=second-time spawner, 2= third-time spawner, etc. 1=second-time spawner, 2= third-time

67 ngth data for alewives and blue- ngth 1972 1974 1975 1976 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1994 199719992002 1.26 2.3 1.41 e-repeat spawner frequency and le Alewife Females 1.001.331.011.03 1971 1973 1977 1978 husetts Rivers by sex. Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Age Data) Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Repeat Spawning) Yearly estimates of instantaneous total mortality (Z) from ag (Z) from of instantaneous total mortality Yearly estimates Year Agawam Back Mattapoisett Monument Mystic Nemasket Parker Stony Town Year Back Mattapoisett Monument Mystic Nemasket Stony Town 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985198619871988 1989 1990 19911992 1993 0.96 1994 199519961997 19981999 20002001 1.042002 0.992003 0.76200420052006 0.72200720082009 0.87 1.032010 1.29 1.24 1.4 1.56 1.26 1.1 1.15 1.04 1.18 1.42 1.15 0.96 1.57 1.58 1.08 1.08 1985 1.39 0.96 1.02 1986 1.41 1.1 1987 1.59 1.18 0.98 0.95 1.96 1993 1995 1.16 1996 1.44 1.47 0.93 1998 1.41 0.9 2004 2000 1.26 2007 2001 2006 2005 0.84 2003 1.99 2008 2009 1.714 2.34 2010 1.76 1.12 2.38 2.53 1.92 1.89 1.94 1.82 1.95 1.22 1.97 2.03 1.28 0.96 1.87 1.91 1.45 1.56 2.35 1.55 1.81 1.4 1.83 1.54 1.87 1.35 1.73 1.37 1.62 1971 Appendix Table 14. back herring from Massacfrom back herring

Beverton-Holt Equlibrium Z Estimates Year Agawam Back Mattapoisett Monument Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Stony Town 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 19841985198619871988 1989 1990199119921993 0.711994199519961997199819992000 0.44 2001 0.51 2002 0.41 2003 0.44 20042005 0.68 2006 0.54 0.71 20072008 0.92 2009 1.10 1.20 2010 1.25 0.95 0.94 0.66 0.94 1.50 1.50 0.70 1.00 1.42 0.90 1.14 1.19 1.13 1.43 1.48 1.76 1.48 1.92 0.96 1.53 1.43 0.83 0.51 0.91 1.12 0.76 1.74 1.76 1.10 2.58 0.71 0.81 0.90 0.73 1.08 1.14 1.51 1.35 1.31 1.26 1.08

Appendix Table 14 cont. Appendix Table 14 cont.

1973 1974 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 198619871988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1.12 1994 1.05 19951996199719981999 2000 1.59 20012002 2.82 2003 1.64 1.44 1.36 2.33 1.84 1.34 1.66 Alewife Males 1.291.491.540.951.011.21 1971 1972 1975 1976 1977 1978 Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Age Data) Z Estimates (Age Chapman-Robson Spawning) Z Estimates (Repeat Chapman-Robson

Year Agawam Back Mattapoisett Monument Mystic Nemasket Parker Stony Town Year Back Monument Mystic Nemasket Stony Town 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985198619871988 1989 1990 19911992 1993 1.18 1994 1995199619971998199920002001 0.87 2002 1.03 2003 0.84 200420052006 0.94200720082009 1.02 1.57 2010 1.38 1.24 1.64 1.16 1.22 1.91 1.32 1.28 1.31 1.48 1.93 0.88 1.23 2.23 1.54 1.31 1.37 1.32 1.03 1.71 1.38 1.6 1.21 0.89 1.21 1.58 0.93 1.15 1.3 1.53 1.48 1.53 0.94 0.87 1.02 2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 2006 2010 2.64 1.28 2.14 1.89 0.92 2.69 2.57 1.89 1.65 1.62 1.18 1.75 2.21 1.87 1.85 1.3 1.61 1.31 1.72 Appendix Table 14 cont.

Beverton-Holt Equlibrium Z Estimates Equlibrium Beverton-Holt

Year Agawam Back Mattapoisett Monument Mystic Nemasket Quashnet Stony Town 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 19841985198619871988 1989 1990199119921993 0.911994199519961997199819992000 0.57 2001 0.63 2002 0.50 2003 0.57 20042005 0.99 2006 0.89 0.7320072008 1.11 2009 1.13 1.62 2010 1.70 1.08 1.19 0.77 1.27 2.05 2.35 0.89 1.43 1.22 1.16 1.38 1.46 1.24 2.62 1.49 2.40 1.65 3.96 1.28 2.00 1.70 0.67 0.54 1.11 1.48 0.79 2.14 2.11 1.46 2.28 0.93 0.98 1.14 0.82 1.34 1.34 1.84 1.81 1.49 1.54 1.43 Appendix Table 14 cont. Appendix Table 14 cont.

Blueback Females

Chapman-Robson Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Age Data) Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Repeat Spawning) Equlibrium Z Estimates Beverton-Holt Year Agawam Charles Monument Mystic Year Charles Monument Mystic Year Agawam Charles Monument Mystic Quashnet 197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991 0.6719921993 0.811994 0.981995 19711996 19721997 1.49 19731998 1.07 19741999 1975 1.192000 19762001 19772002 1978 0.752003 19792004 19802005 19812006 1985 19822007 1.15 19832008 1.02 1984 0.63 19862009 19872010 0.85 1988 1.39 1989 1991 1993 1990 1971 1.1 1972 1992 1.02 0.9 1973 1974 1994 1996 1975 1.54 1995 1997 1.47 1976 1.43 1977 1.82 0.90 1999 1978 1.15 1998 0.86 1979 1.19 1.02 1980 1985 2000 1.19 2002 1981 2001 1982 1983 1986 2003 2005 1987 1984 2004 2006 2008 2007 2009 0.47 1993 2010 1988 1989 1991 0.42 1990 0.86 1992 0.7 1994 0.55 1996 0.57 1995 0.72 1997 1.67 1.03 0.88 1.86 1999 2.19 1998 1.97 0.71 2000 2002 2001 0.97 2006 2003 0.83 2008 2005 2007 2004 2009 1.19 2010 1.01 1.14 1.25 1.41 2.05 1.81 1.19 1.78 1.76 1.82 2.15 1.28 1.63 1.29 2.11 2.23 1.96 1.53 1.45 1.78 2.41 1.90 1.01 Appendix Table 14 cont.

Blueback Males

Year Charles Monument Mystic Town Year Charles Monument Mystic Town Year Agawam Charles Monument Mystic Quashnet Town 19711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987 0.96198819891990 1.27199119921993 1.061994 19711995 1.05 19721996 19731997 19741998 1.45 19751999 19762000 19772001 19782002 19792003 1.1 1980 1.722004 19812005 1985 19822006 19832007 1984 0.92 0.762008 19872009 19862010 1988 1.54 1989 1993 1990 1.05 1991 1992 1.28 1.6 1.64 1.77 1.43 1994 1971 1996 1995 1.73 1972 1997 1.26 1973 1.55 1.39 1974 1998 1975 1999 1976 2001 2000 1977 1978 2002 1979 2003 1980 2005 1985 2007 2004 1981 1982 2006 1983 2008 2010 1984 2009 1987 1986 1993 0.67 1988 1989 0.41 1990 1991 1.79 1992 1.38 1.31 1994 1.36 2.13 0.77 1996 1995 1.03 0.54 2.11 1997 1.11 1998 1999 2001 2000 0.92 1.03 2002 2007 0.98 2003 2005 2004 1.22 2008 2010 1.25 1.26 2009 2006 1.90 2.53 1.96 2.65 2.23 1.29 1.96 1.89 1.31 1.31 2.30 1.64 2.23 1.91 1.77 1.98 1.99 1.65 1.93 2.46 2.96 1.20 Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Age Data) Chapman-Robson Z Estimates (Repeat Spawning) Beverton-Holt ZEqulibrium Estimates Appendix Table 14 cont. Appendix Table 14 cont.

73 Appendix Table 15. Mean weights-at-age for female Monument River alewife. Data in highlighted cells were estimated from years with data.

Age Year 3 4 5 6 7 8 1980 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1981 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1982 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1983 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1984 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1985 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1986 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1987 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1988 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1989 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1990 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1991 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1992 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1993 0.155 0.212 0.223 0.228 0.225 0.256 1994 0.155 0.175 0.197 0.217 0.236 0.256 1995 0.172 0.177 0.170 0.206 0.236 0.256 1996 0.155 0.185 0.198 0.218 0.236 0.256 1997 0.146 0.181 0.207 0.216 0.236 0.256 1998 0.122 0.165 0.197 0.223 0.240 0.256 1999 0.160 0.156 0.177 0.217 0.236 0.256 2000 0.154 0.177 0.200 0.202 0.236 0.256 2001 0.161 0.174 0.200 0.224 0.200 0.256 2002 0.167 0.183 0.207 0.223 0.236 0.256 2003 0.157 0.186 0.201 0.214 0.236 0.256 2004 0.167 0.181 0.221 0.217 0.236 0.256 2005 0.161 0.171 0.194 0.206 0.236 0.256 2006 0.149 0.169 0.196 0.224 0.236 0.256 2007 0.158 0.188 0.216 0.255 0.254 0.256 2008 0.144 0.165 0.190 0.211 0.254 0.256 2009 0.154 0.174 0.181 0.195 0.236 0.256 2010 0.163 0.179 0.198 0.216 0.236 0.256

Age Mature Female 9,761 64,111 40,790 33,910 7,941 1,781 43,45321,29318,487 85,457 151,50734,696 74,08950,09615,796 8,668 48,895 33,73310,935 119,038 85,111 110,778 8,947 3,619 34,564 34,809 17,358 20,045 45,848 15,767 6,201 41,520 3,712 12,495 1,475 5,010 13,029 12,873 2,714 3,699 5,662 3,021 3,587 3,735 1,400 6,020 3,353 1,939 158270 24,301 13,652 85,071 84,707 3,804 48,678 811 1,585 1,962 336 1,210 1,313 r alewife bymaturityyear, sex, state, and age. Age Female Immature Estimates of population abundance of Monument Rive of Monument abundance of population Estimates Year Total 3 4 5 6 7 8 Year Total 3 4 5 6 7 8 198019811982 76,9311983 90,2961984 79,614 68,0351985 133,295 81,3991986 107,946 68,9851987 124,261 81,509 8,8241988 78,133 91,756 8,8241989 10,558 82,323 8,948 69,4761990 21,285 69,025 16,117 721991 21,853 73,297 72 223,290 11,901 72 11,705 86 242,587 9,011 20,257 73 220,650 8,953 213,946 0 131 9,507 0 1,518 2,627 0 97 0 28,619 73 0 73 0 0 77 12 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1980 0 0 1981 1982 0 1983 49,705 0 1984 51,299 0 0 1985 60,106 0 60,446 75,387 7,728 1986 73,074 9,246 1987 7,836 14,114 1988 65,413 10,422 25,935 1989 1990 63,501 1991 7,892 25,935 31,949 26,320 54,876 47,409 32,167 45,352 7,840 11,524 117, 8,325 11,524 35,547 14,103 14,142 1,330 11,768 25,063 2,301 27,229 3,310 27,296 23,651 3,310 4,456 4,084 28,684 4,102 7,960 19,059 4,599 941 15,398 4,023 941 14,411 1,270 1,280 9,018 1,173 2,497 15,593 7,857 1,390 267 5,788 493 506 344 1,523 5,622 6,082 513 3,696 571 2,936 2,244 2,179 743 929 1,728 1,808 1,571 199219931994 148,1721995 59,9281996 226,083 120,1891997 411,171 44,1131998 237,317 220,234 27,7501999 187,477 382,5592000 107,241 187,465 15,589 5,7222001 316,780 162,758 28,565 2332002 480,755 85,933 49,6202003 175,099 305,462 226 24,315 1272004 107,748 441,045 47 21,1102005 123,574 139,062 11,146 232 02006 77,479 96,267 39,620 4042007 115,695 0 41,798 35,835 198 02008 60,612 172 68,039 11,299 02009 79,836 0 7,822 91 36,222 02010 123,305 202 0 57,641 70,312 9,400 0 75,138 183 0 117,176 0 71,495 0 5,528 58 0 2,943 60,760 0 0 0 0 4,683 6,105 66,509 0 40 0 48 0 0 9,521 0 0 28 0 4,937 0 15 24 0 0 0 0 0 1992 31 0 0 0 49 0 1993 0 150, 0 1994 0 0 0 1995 0 1996 118,108 0 0 1997 94,055 0 0 155,441 0 0 232,725 1998 0 1999 5,011 0 202,228 0 25,016 2000 158,294 0 2001 0 135,524 0 47,204 0 2002 0 210,668 17,352 184,371 0 0 2003 103,476 45,747 25,801 0 2004 62,645 0 2005 2006 18,898 52,388 18,005 2007 2008 35,438 13,141 26,610 2009 29,987 40,108 7,728 612 7,393 2010 23,691 4,114 46,344 6,547 37,545 13,310 8,535 28,864 11,766 488 636 16,888 6,902 9,136 18,982 7,555 14,561 8,753 10,117 10,302 29,601 6,634 5,746 15,349 3,607 3,220 3,120 2,296 7,490 11,681 3,068 1,086 1,998 2,754 809 840 1,730 2,255 680 599 920 1,069 998 326 519 545 386 367 295 186 Appendix Table 16.

Age Population Male Mature Age Male Immature . eroa357 eroa357 Total YearTotal345678 YearTotal345678 198019811982 58,6211983 69,4111984 60,111 54,9281985 104,069 65,7181986 80,814 55,6951987 100,322 61,078 3,6801988 59,502 3,680 74,0791989 62,923 4,403 3,732 56,0921990 13,427 55,727 121991 17,001 6,722 59,176 121992 179,240 4,964 121993 9,450 15 184,669 3,758 16,3551994 108,649 178,142 3,734 131995 172,729 0 42,155 3,965 231996 180,214 0 97,035 1,096 633 171997 320,781 0 0 11,937 35,615 131998 172,085 177,806 11,5741999 141,614 308,859 0 13 02000 151,350 0 2 78,217 6,502 2,386 13 0 42001 251,292 131,403 0 11,914 0 02002 40 372,617 0 20,695 69,3782003 127,253 246,614 10,141 0 0 392004 22 0 356,077 82,465 0 0 8 02005 112,272 0 0 96,679 8,805 4,649 40 02006 0 0 0 58,859 16,525 69 0 77,7212007 31,558 14,946 93,4072008 0 0 0 0 47,769 1980 54,931 342009 29 0 0 0 0 62,619 4,713 16 1981 0 29,244 02010 0 97,152 3,262 35 1982 63,060 1983 0 46,536 0 0 53,031 3,921 67,217 60,663 55,764 2,306 0 1984 0 75,722 0 94,602 84,821 31 20,835 0 0 1,227 1985 0 0 49,055 0 0 10 24,927 0 0 1,953 1986 95,531 53,696 0 21,126 7 38,053 0 0 28,531 2,546 1987 87,346 8 3,971 28,531 79,669 1988 28,099 0 5 0 0 36,615 2,059 28,991 0 79,827 0 21,276 9,860 1990 3 0 0 1989 0 1991 0 21,138 9,860 59,548 4 0 52,221 0 1992 0 12,697 12,607 22,446 5 88,205 35,069 40,015 167,815 0 2,809 8 31,144 183,041 1993 0 0 1994 3,584 10,099 2,809 0 0 31,600 3,789 3,652 67,571 0 0 1995 65,518 0 20,894 6,203 1996 129,612 135,918 0 36,806 0 17,511 798 0 1997 32,744 3,627 238,295 0 14,549 798 0 289,071 95,119 9,137 1,078 1,088 3,429 13,509 0 67,444 5,279 0 239,842 0 98,217 7,922 117,153 1998 1999 13,581 0 0 2000 57,408 1,049 7,184 227 3,468 54,145 2,348 0 19,944 2001 49,842 1,229 14,578 180,268 418 45,046 195,562 0 430 291 96,415 0 309,023 1,298 5,442 175,735 0 0 228,030 3,247 43,406 436 24,273 0 2002 26,316 85,701 93,543 758 5,658 5,271 135,064 1,437 8,003 503 0 2003 45,665 2,684 42,586 247,321 126,615 656 0 17,404 17,000 135,100 73,831 2004 81,479 38,667 275,629 381,746 277,217 801 0 87,568 2,043 2,110 2005 1,825 8,370 3,324 314 130,583 0 29,480 1,512 2006 69,727 16,095 356,658 38,770 18,636 32,551 6,809 555 2007 35,430 44,620 300,819 1,449 43,702 1,627 1,126 5,855 40,850 2008 3,473 39,105 282,315 1,222 20,836 11,704 32,311 14,912 2009 1,355 47,100 289,473 27,185 11,092 449 2010 66,229 4,625 593 40,943 149,926 17,652 2,500 33,727 3,466 63,615 5,355 12,414 7,382 23,010 11,303 19,601 2,829 538,871 108,117 53,273 708,950 35,883 12,223 587,364 10,828 3,360 18,607 8,370 17,291 3,473 5,705 1,658 636,252 9,932 20,368 9,968 1,122,143 22,540 347,521 926,305 1,292 6,495 35,151 3,175 766,905 3,079 3,612 18,227 2,962 2,186 5,766 1,367,280 1,826 897,706 2,957 7,516 520,966 2,703 11,721 1,949 714,567 1,084 756 804 1,730 648 2,255 1,012 886 422,162 584 969 325 525 519 372,499 352 261,181 371 286 183 156,366 177,759 223,452 330,778 237,310 222,093 Appendix Table 16 cont

Appendix Table 17. Estimates of female spawning stock biomass (kilograms) for the Monument River alewife.

Age YearTotal345678 1980 5,355 711 2,696 1,348 427 132 41 1981 7,432 1,149 3,639 1,820 576 178 71 1982 6,586 729 3,355 1,667 580 180 76 1983 6,538 1,313 2,764 1,672 532 181 78 1984 9,580 1,144 5,875 1,642 630 196 93 1985 10,641 968 4,921 3,686 691 260 116 1986 10,482 1,041 4,080 3,215 1,676 308 163 1987 9,302 1,007 3,729 2,368 1,331 681 186 1988 8,469 167 4,066 2,300 1,017 561 358 1989 5,221 289 652 2,488 988 429 375 1990 5,395 2,618 939 332 889 347 271 1991 17,602 3,258 12,875 648 152 400 268 1992 22,005 1,706 11,953 7,733 277 64 271 1993 20,921 635 8,180 8,339 3,522 112 133 1994 12,790 2,790 2,185 3,658 2,812 1,256 90 1995 24,337 6,479 13,112 1,277 1,598 1,269 602 1996 37,157 2,811 23,875 8,246 672 746 807 1997 32,428 2,234 11,100 14,582 3,584 288 640 1998 23,865 956 8,492 6,451 6,070 1,530 366 1999 18,295 4,165 3,948 4,590 2,567 2,307 717 2000 36,055 7,387 20,173 3,324 2,416 1,279 1,476 2001 31,399 2,370 17,967 8,547 1,046 669 800 2002 16,562 1,476 5,149 6,947 2,321 267 401 2003 10,842 1,873 4,000 2,147 1,965 668 188 2004 8,759 1,117 4,547 1,684 608 566 238 2005 6,401 655 2,855 1,976 468 196 252 2006 4,807 976 1,544 1,300 687 161 139 2007 5,702 1,348 2,738 779 509 234 94 2008 6,620 1,917 3,132 1,092 229 152 99 2009 8,059 1,063 5,151 1,356 337 77 76 2010 6,949 1,231 2,748 2,313 487 122 48

0 201

Base 0.4 0.6 2007

2004

001

8 199

Year

1995

Year

1992

Total Abundance (3+) Abundance Total 989 1

Natural Mortality

6 198

1980-1999 2000-2010

Base 0.4 0.6 3

198

0 1980

800000 600000 400000 200000

1.40 1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 0.00 1600000 1400000 1200000 1000000

Number Number

2010 2010

on SCA model output.

007

2 2

2004 004

001

998

1 5

Year 99

1 Year

995

992

Female SSB 99 1

Age-3 Estimates Age-3

9 1989

Base 0.4 0.6 98

Base 0.4 0.6 1

986

1 6

1983

98 0

0 98 1

98 0 1 Sensitivity analysis of input female sex ratioSensitivity analysis 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000

5000

50000 45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 1,200,000 1,000,000

Number Number Appendix Figure 1.

0 201

Base +20% -20% 2007

2004

001

8 199

Year 1995 Year

20% on SCA model output. output. on SCA 20% model

1992

Total Abundance (3+) Abundance Total 989 1

Natural Mortality

6 198

1980-1999 2000-2010

Base +20% -20% 3 198

0 1980

800000 600000 400000 200000

1.40 1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 0.00 1600000 1400000 1200000 1000000

Number Number

2010 2010

007

Base +20% -20% 007 2 2

total removals and by+ escapementtotal removals numbers

2004 004

001

998

1 5

Year 99

1 Year

995

992 2 1

Age-3 Estimates Age-3 99 1

Female SSB

9 1989

Base +20% -20%

986

1 6

1983

98 0

0 98 1

98 0 1 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 Sensitivity analysis of changing CVs

5000

40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 1,200,000 1,000,000

Number Number Appendix Figure 2.

0 201

Base +20% -20% 2007

2004

001

8 199

Year

Year 1995

1992

Total Abundance (3+) Abundance Total 989 1

Natural Mortality

6 198

1980-1999 2000-2010

Base +20% -20% 20% on SCA model output. on SCA model output. 20%

3 198

0 1980

800000 600000 400000 200000

1.400 1.200 1.000 0.800 0.600 0.400 0.200 0.000 1600000 1400000 1200000 1000000

Number Number

2010 2010

007

Base +20% -20% 007

2 Base +20% -20% 2

2004 004 2

average effective sample sizes by + 1

001

998

1 5

Year 99

1 Year

995

992

Female SSB 2 1

9 1989

Age-3 Estimates Age-3 98

986

1 6

1983

98 0

0 98 1

. Sensitivity analysis of changing

98 0 1 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000

5000

45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 1,200,000 1,000,000

Number Number Appendix Figure 3.

0 201

Base 0.35 0.15 2007

2004

001

8 199

Year

1995

0.1 on SCA model output. model SCA 0.1 on Year

1992

Total Abundance (3+) Abundance Total 989 1

Natural Mortality

6 198

1980-1999 2000-2010

Base 0.35 0.25 3 198

0 1980

800000 600000 400000 200000

1.40 1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 0.00 1800000 1600000 1400000 1200000 1000000

Number Number

2010 2010

Base 0.35 0.15 007 007

2 2

004

2004 2

001 2001

199 998 1

Year

1995 Year

995

199

99 1

Female SSB

9 1989

Age-3 Estimates Age-3 98 1

Base 0.35 0.15 6 1986

1983 3

98 1

0 1980

98 0 1 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 . Sensitivity analysis of changing the downweight ratio of the age composition data by + the age composition ratio of of changing the downweight . Sensitivity analysis

5000

45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000

Number Number Appendix Figure 4.

81 List of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Reports (continued from inside front cover)

TR-34 Nelson, G. A. 2008. 2007 Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report. TR-35 Barber, J. S., K. A. Whitmore, M. Rousseau, D. M. Chosid, and R. P. Glenn. 2009. Boston Harbor artificial reef site selection and monitoring program. TR-36 Nelson, G. A. 2009. Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report for 2008. TR-37 Leschen, A. S., R. K. Kessler, and B. T. Estrella. 2009. Eelgrass restoration used as construction impact mitigation in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. TR-38 King, J. R., M. J. Camisa, V. M. Manfredi. 2010. Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries trawl survey effort, list of species recorded, and bottom temperature trends, 1978-2007. TR-39 Dean, M. J. 2010. Massachusetts lobster fishery statistics for 2006. TR-40 Pol, M., P. He, and P. Winger. 2010. Proceedings of the international technical workshop on gadoid capture by pots (GACAPOT). TR-41 Nelson, G. A. 2010. Massachusetts striped bass monitoring report for 2009. TR-42 Chase, B. C. 2010. Quality assurance program plan (QAPP) for water quality measurements for diadromous fish monitoring 2008-2012, version 1.0. TR-43 Evans, N. T., and A. S. Leschen. 2010. Technical guidelines for the delineation, restoration, and monitoring of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Massachusetts coastal waters. TR-44 Chase, B. C., T. Callaghan, M. B. Dechant, P. Patel. 2010. River herring spawning and nursery habitat assessment: Upper Mystic Lake, 2007-2008. TR-45 Ford, K. H., and S. Voss. 2010. Seafloor sediment composition in Massachusetts determined through point data.