by Andrew L. Shiels, Manager, Fish Production Services Hickory shad (Alosa mediocris) are a smaller relative of the better- known American shad (Alosa sapidissima). Although most Pennsylvania anglers have never seen one, these feisty migratory sportfish are known affectionately to anglers and biologists in several East Coast states as “hicks.” Hickory shad are superb sportfish. They strike flies and lures readily, possess the hard-fighting qualities typical of migratory fish, and often leap out of the water when hooked. Caught on a 6-pound-test spinning outfit or a 6-weight fly rod, these fish are a lot of fun! In Pennsylvania, hickory shad are currently listed as an endangered species. That’s because until recently, they had not been documented as occurring in Pennsylvania’s Delaware River or its tributaries for many years. However, recent sightings and a new Fish & Boat Commission restoration effort have brightened the once gloomy outlook for hickory shad. Freshly hatched hickory shad fry are very small. Their small size requires their stocking just as they absorb the yolk sac and before they begin external feeding. 26 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2005 www.fish.state.pa.us Stocking hickory shad below the dam at Tyler Arboretum on Ridley Creek, Delaware County. The fragile fry are carefully released from the transport bag into the current, which aids in their dispersal. History at the Van Dyke Anadromous Fish Dyke in the form of eggs to be hatched The Fish & Boat Commission has Hatchery. Anadromous fish live most of in a pilot culture project. Mike been involved in the restoration of their lives in a marine environment and Hendricks, leader of the Anadromous American shad in the Susquehanna, enter fresh water to spawn. For nearly Fish Restoration Unit, suspected that Schuylkill and Lehigh rivers since the 30 years, the “anadromous” portion of American shad culture techniques may early 1970s. Along the way, Commission the hatchery name referred only to be transferable to hickories. However, it biologists have developed and refined American shad. However, in 2003, the didn’t take long to realize that these spe- many techniques leading to a large-scale hickory shad, another anadromous spe- cies have different life histories. hatching, rearing and stocking program cies, made its first appearance at Van Ecology, hatchery production There are several notable differences in the biology and ecology of American and hickory shad. Their size is the most obvious difference. American shad are the larger species. Adult male American shad average between 16 and 21 inches Stocking hickory shad long, while females reach lengths up to fry into the Delaware River at 23 inches or so. Physically, American the Commission launch ramp at Yardley, shad have a deeper body profile, and Bucks County. Fry are transported their upper and lower jaws are the same from the hatchery in large length. Hickory shad are smaller at plastic bags filled with adulthood. Males average between 11 water and oxygen. and 16 inches. Females are slightly larger, reaching lengths of around 17 inches. Hickory shad have a noticeably longer www.fish.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2005 27 lower jaw. American shad are prima- rily plankton eaters, and hickory shad prefer a more well-rounded diet that most notably includes small fish. Both species enter tributaries along the east- make up for their size in numbers. water and pure oxygen for the ride to ern seaboard of North America from An adult female hickory shad can pro- Susquehanna River and Delaware River Florida to the Bay of Fundy. Juvenile duce more than 300,000 eggs. Of course, tributaries. American shad typically spend their the small eggs eventually hatch into The Commission is in the early phases first summer feeding in freshwater riv- small fry. of hickory shad restoration, but the ers well upstream of the ocean. Com- The differences between American Maryland Department of Natural Re- mission netting surveys reveal that ju- shad and hickory shad extend to their sources (DNR) Fisheries Service has venile American shad migrate toward treatment in the hatchery. American been actively engaged in these activities the ocean from August through Novem- shad are hatched and reared in large for several years. Adult hickory shad ber. Hickory shad tend to spend their tanks until they are around 21 days old. used for egg collection come from the juvenile stage in the intertidal areas us- In that time they have absorbed their lower Susquehanna River, and they are ing freshwater, brackish and even salt- yolk sac, begun to feed on brine shrimp collected either from willing anglers or water bays and estuaries. and dry feed, and have been immersed via boat electrofishing. Since 2003, Fish The first waves of American shad tend in a Food and Drug Administration- & Boat Commission biologists, with to enter tributaries in Maryland and approved tetracycline bath to mark their Maryland’s permission and cooperation, Pennsylvania between late March and otoliths (ear stones) for future have also been collecting pre-spawned early April. A typical adult female identification. hickory shad with the same methods. American shad produces some 200,000 On the other hand, hickory shad fry After collection, the Commission’s to 250,000 eggs measuring only 1/8-inch average a quarter-inch in length and are shad are transferred to spawning tanks in diameter. Hickory shad arrive at the too small to eat brine shrimp, which are at the base of Conowingo Dam. Fisher- spawning grounds several weeks earlier. so useful in converting American shad ies biologists employed by Normandeau Their runs usually taper off just as the to external feeding. As a result, hickory Associates, Inc., RMC Environmental American shad run begins to strengthen. shad are kept in hatchery tanks just long Services Division, and under contract This usually occurs in the lower enough to immerse them in tetracycline with the Susquehanna Electric Com- Susquehanna River around the middle to apply an identifying mark. Since they pany, then inject the hickory shad with of April. Hickory shad eggs are very can’t be fed, they must be stocked just luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone small with typical diameters around before or soon after they have used up analogue (LHRHa) hormone pellets. 1/16-inch. Thus, they are only half the the built-in nutrition of their yolk sacs. These hormones speed up the spawning size of American shad eggs. Hickory At that time they are carefully loaded process, ensuring that most shad in the shad eggs are small, but they more than into plastic shipping bags filled with tank spawn at around the same time. Average-sized hickory shad 28 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2005 www.fish.state.pa.us Anadromous Fish Restoration Unit Leader Mike Hendricks forms injectable hormone pellets. The hormones speed up the spawning process, ensuring that most shad in the tanks spawn at around the same time. Fertilized eggs are collected from an Rivers, Inc., Trout Unlimited, the Na- were constructed at each of these block- overflow device outside the tanks and are tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- ages. Two lifts, the original west lift and shipped to Van Dyke, where Commis- istration, and the National Fish and the more recently built east lift, are in sion biologists take over. Wildlife Foundation to assist willing place at Conowingo. It is not known if In another example of interagency landowners in removing blockages to hickory shad will use the east fish lift at cooperation, the Susquehanna River co- fish migration. Scott secures funding, Conowingo Dam because there is cur- ordinator for the United States Fish & coordinates the design of fish-passage rently no remaining natural spawning Wildlife Service, Richard St. Pierre, pur- devices or dam removals, ensures habi- stock upstream of the dam. chases the hormone ingredients and tat restoration following removal, and To improve the odds of re-establish- provides them to Commission biologist follows up with fish and/or habitat ing a hickory shad run, in 2003 and 2004, Mike Hendricks, who makes the inject- monitoring. In many cases, river and the Commission stocked hickory shad able pellets. stream sections that have been im- fry at the mouth of Muddy Creek in York pounded for a century or more have re- County, Pennsylvania. The goal is to Restoring the runs cently been re-opened to fish migrations. develop a spawning population that will Historic records show that hickory Meanwhile, runs of hickory shad into return to Pennsylvania’s portion of the shad once occurred in several Pennsyl- Maryland’s Deer Creek and the Mary- Susquehanna River upstream of the vania streams and rivers. Dam-build- land portion of the lower Susquehanna Conowingo Dam. If they survive a trip ing and water pollution led to the de- River have been increasing, and they to the ocean and return in two to four cline of this species and other migratory have been receiving significant attention years, the fish stocked at Muddy Creek fishes. However, during the last several from anglers, including Pennsylvanians. will have a homing instinct to return decades, more stringent water-quality Sportfishing interest in this species is there. Fish-passage monitoring at regulations and clean-up programs have gaining annually around the mid-Atlan- Conowingo Dam in future years will resulted in improved water quality. tic states as news of this fishery spreads. document if and when hickory shad be- Similarly, agencies are making great ef- Between the Deer Creek fishery in gin to show up at the fish lift viewing forts to help migratory fish reach their Maryland and the Pennsylvania waters window. ancestral spawning grounds. Fish & of the Susquehanna River lies Similarly, there is a run of hickory Boat Commission Research Division bi- Conowingo Dam.