Herring are running on the Shawsheen again… can you help count them?

By Eric Roach

This is an article from the Merrimack River Watershed Council, reprinted by permission.

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer to count river herring on the Shawsheen River in Andover, Mass.

As you may know, early last year two dams were removed from the lower portion of the Shawsheen — just upstream from where it empties into the Merrimack River in Lawrence.  In the spring, river herring were seen swimming upstream of the removed dams, exploring stretches of the Shawsheen walled off to them for 200 years.

In an effort to quantify how many herring are now utilizing the river, the Shawsheen Greenway has organized a volunteer herring count.  It’s fairly simple to participate in – you visit the sign up website at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090448abae29abf58-shawsheen and pick a day and a four-hour window to observe the river and count herring for 10 minutes.  The counting station is located at the pedestrian bridge by the Atria Senior Living Center.  On the bridge there is a small kiosk placed by the Shawsheen Greenway with some really neat items:  a digital water thermometer, air thermometer, handheld counter, stopwatch, and a clipboard to record your findings.  There is also a fish discernment guide to help you distinguish between river herring and trout.  Maybe the best feature is the white contrast mat placed on the bottom of the river in front of the bridge (this mat makes it really easy to spot the fish).  You may also want to bring a pair of polarized sunglasses, as it really helps you see through the surface glare of the water.

The Shawsheen River as seen from Stevens Street, looking toward the herring counting station. Last year a dam on this location was removed, spurring herring to swim upstream to spawn.

Witnessing herring return from the sea for their annual spawn is a wonderful spring event here in coastal New England, and it shouldn’t be missed. Counting herring will help quantify the value dam removal has within the Merrimack River watershed, and can only help with future efforts. The herring count runs from 4/14 – 6/3; please take a moment and volunteer at least ten minutes this spring to this worthwhile cause; and don’t forget to bring the kids to see a true wonder of nature.

Eric Roach is a member of Plum Island Surfcasters.  Many of us know him for his efforts on riverside cleanup at our favorite shad-fishing spots.

Founded in 1976, Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC) is dedicated to promoting a clean and accessible Merrimack River and watershed. As “the voice of the Merrimack,” the Council’s mission is to protect, improve, and conserve the Merrimack River watershed for people and wildlife through education, recreation, advocacy, and science.