550 Biology and Management of the American Shad and Status of the Fisheries, Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1960 Biclogical Laboratory flarineLIBRARY NOV 1 3 1957 WOODS HOLE, MASS. SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT-FISHERIES Na 550 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Stewart L. Udall, Secretary Charles F. Luce, Under Secretary Stanley A. Cain, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, Clarence F. Pautzke, Commissioner Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Harold E. Crowther, Director Biology and Management of the American Shad and Status of the Fisheries, Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1960 By CHARLES H. WALBURG and PAUL R. NICHOLS United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Scientific Report- -Fisheries No. 550 Washington, D.C. August 1967 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduction 1 Description of Alosa sapidissima 2 Distribution of shad 3 Life history of shad 3 Migrations 3 Spawning runs 5 Spawning and early development 6 Food and feeding habits 8 Age and growth 9 Mortality 10 Fishing mortality 10 Natural mortality 10 Predators 10 Parasites 11 History and description of fishery 11 Historical notes 11 Development of the fisheries 12 Present fisheries 15 Shad fisheries of Florida 17 Fisheries by water area 18 St. Johns River 18 St. Marys River 20 Trends in production 22 Shad fisheries of Georgia 22 Fisheries by water area 23 Satilla River 23 Altamaha River 23 Ogeechee River 25 Savannah River 25 Trends in production 26 Shad fisheries of South Carolina 27 Fisheries by water area 27 Combahee and Ashepoo Rivers 27 Edisto River 30 Charleston Harbor and tributaries 31 Samtee River 31 Winyah Bay and tributaries 31 Trends in production 34 i Page Shad fisheries of North Carolina 35 Fisheries by water area 35 Cape Fear River and tributaries 35 Pamlico Sound 39 Neuse River and tributaries 39 Pamlico-Tar River 41 Croatan and Roanoke Sounds 43 Albemarle Sound 43 Roanoke River 43 Chowan River 44 Trends in production 44 Shad fisheries of Virginia 45 Fisheries by water area 46 Chesapeake Bay in Virginia 48 James River 48 York River 49 Rappahannock River 50 Potomac River 51 Trends in production 52 Shad fisheries of Maryland 52 Fisheries by water area 54 Chesapeake Bay in Maryland 54 Potomac River 56 Patuxent River 58 Susquehanna River 59 Pocomoke River 59 Wicomico River 59 Nanticoke River 60 Fishing Bay 60 Choptank River 60 Chester River 61 Trends in production 6l Shad fisheries of Delaware 63 Fisheries by water area 63 Nanticoke River 63 Delaware Bay 63 Delaware River 64 Trends in production 66 Shad fisheries of Pennsylvania 67 Fisheries by water area 67 Susquehanna River 67 Delaware River 68 Trends in production 69 Page Shad fisheries of New Jersey 69 Fisheries by water area 69 Ocean shore and bays 69 Lower New York Bay 71 Hudson River 72 Trends in production 72 Shad fisheries of New York 72 Fisheries by water area 73 New York Bay 74 Hudson River 75 Great South Bay and Gardiners Bay 76 Long Island Sound 76 Trends in production 76 Shad fisheries of Connecticut 77 Fisheries by water area 77 Long Island Sound 77 Thames River 79 Connecticut River 79 Housatonic River 80 Bridgeport Harbor and Pine Creek 82 Trends in production °2 Shad fisheries of Rhode Island 82 Fisheries by water area 82 Atlantic Ocean 82 Narragansett Bay 83 Warren River 83 Pawcatuck River 83 Providence-Blackstone River 83 Trends in production 83 Shad fisheries of Massachusetts °^ Fisheries by water area °^ Taunton River 84 Buzzards Bay 84 Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay 84 Merrimack River "^ Connecticut River 85 Trends in production 85 Shad fisheries of New Hampshire 85 Shad fisheries of Vermont 86 Page Shad fisheries of Maine 86 Fisheries by water area 86 Saco River 86 Nonesuch River 86 Casco Bay 88 Kennebec River 88 Merrymeeting Bay tributaries 88 Sheepscot River 88 Penobscot River and Bay 89 Pleasant and Harrington Rivers 89 Saint Croix River 89 Trends in production 89 Trends in shad production of the Atlantic coast of the United States 89 Factors affecting decline in abundance 90 Physical changes 91 Dams 91 Pollution 92 Overfishing 92 Natural cycles of abundance 92 Rehabilitation and management 93 Hatcheries 93 Fishways 94 Regulations 97 Economics and marketing 97 Recommendations 99 Summary 100 Acknowledgment 100 Literature cited 101 Biology and Management of the American Shad and Status of the Fisheries, Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1960 By CHARLES H. WALBURG ^ and PAUL R. NICHOLS^ Fishery Biologists Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory Beaufort, N.C. 28516 ABSTRACT This paper summarizes current information on the American shad, Alosa sapidissima , and describes the species and its fishery. Ennphasis is placed on (1) life history of the fish, (2) condition of the fishery by State and water area in 1960 compared to 1896 when the last comprehensive description was made, (3) fac- tors responsible for decline in abundance, and (4) management measures. The shad fishery has changed little over the past three-quarters of a century, except in magnitude of yield. Types of shad-fishing gear have remained relatively unchanged, but many improvements have been made in fishing techniques, mostly to achieve economy. In 1896 the estimated catch was more than 50 million pounds. New Jersey ranked first in production with about 14 million pounds, and Virginia second with 11 million pounds. In I960 the estimated catch was slightly more than 8 million pounds. Maryland ranked first in production with slightly more than 1.5 million pounds, Virginia second with slightly less than 1.4 million pounds, and North Carolina third with about 1.3 million pounds. Biological and econonnic factors blamed for the decline in shad abundance, such as physical changes in the environment, construction of dams, pollution, over- fishing, and natural cycles of abundance, are discussed. Also discussed are methods used for the rehabilitation and management of the fishery, such as artificial propa- gation, installation of fish-passage facilities at impoundments, and fishing regu- lations. With our present knowledge, we can manage individual shad populations; but, we probably cannot restore the shad to its former peak of abundance. INTRODUCTION The annual commercial yield of American Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department shad, Alosa sapidissima (Wilson), on the At- of the Interior, to study the shad. lantic coast of the United States declined from Since 1950 the Fish and Wildlife Service more than 50 million pounds in 1896 to about (including the Bureau of Commercial Fish- 10 million pounds during the 1930's. Produc- eries) has been investigating the fishery to tion increased slightly during World War II, (1) discover causes for the decline, (2) deter- but by 1949 had decreased to less than 10 mine conditions favoring recovery, and (3) million pounds. Alarmed by the continued de- provide information for scientific management cline, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries of the species to obtain nnaximum continuing Commission requested the Federal Govern- yields. ment to investigate this resource. In 1949 With available funds and personnel, it was Congress, in Public Law 249, authorized the not possible to investigate all Atlantic coast •"•Present address: North Central Reservoir Investigations, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Box 139, Yankton, S.D. 57078. ^ Present address: Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Washington, D.C. 20240. 1 shad fisheries simultaneously; studies gen- the life history of shad (Leim, 1 924), a general erally were confined to only one stream or review on artificial propagation of shad (Leach, area each year. Investigations began on the 1925), a detailed study on the marketing of Hudson and Connecticut Rivers in 1950 and shad (Johnson, 1938), and a historical review during the following 10 yr. (years) included which sunnmarized all available information on the major producing areas along the coast. the fishery and presented the most compre- Because of the extensive coastwide nature of hensive bibliography on the shad (Mansueti this program, field work in any one area and Kolb, 1953). The works of the above au- necessarily was limited to 1 or 2 yr. thors were used extensively to complete this The purpose of this paper is to summarize report. Throughout this report, all references current information on the shad with emphasis to the fisheries of 1896, including tables, are on (1) life history of the fish, (2) condition of from Stevenson (1899), and all 1960 data were the fishery by State and water area in I960 collected during the present study. compared with 1896 when the last comprehen- In some respects, this report is similar to sive description was made, (3) factors re- Mansueti and Kolb (1953). That paper, how- sponsible for decline in- abundance, and (4) ever, was a compilation of available literature, management measures to increase fish stocks newspaper articles, interviews, and letters and to produce optimum sustained yields. and contained unsubstantiated statements and Previous extensive investigations of this opinions subsequently not clarified. In this species included an exhaustive report on the paper we have sought to give only documented shad fisheries of the Atlantic coast of the infornnation and to describe the shad and its United States with emphasis on the year 1896 fishery in the light of recent scientific in- (Stevenson, 1899), a comprehensive study on formation. DESCRIPTION OF ALOSA SAPIDISSIMA The shad is the largest nnember of the her- of abdomen, and large scales which are easily ring family, Clupeidae, in the United States. loosened; a dark spot close behind the rear The species has compressed fusiform shape, edge of the operculum well up on either side single soft-rayed dorsal and anal fins, deeply of the body usually is followed by one or two forked tail fin, strongly serrated ventral edge longitudinal rows of dusky spots (fig.