This year’s count of herring in the Mattapoisett River was 1,886, an 88-percent decrease from the 2020 total of 16,049. Counting conditions were ideal this spring, and the counter appears to have functioned without errors.
This year’s count of fish in the Sippican River was 57. It seems unlikely that any of the 57 fish counted were herring as the number is an accumulation of low counts on numerous days. I believe that count includes only pond fish moving up and down the ladder through the counter.
The moratorium against the taking or possession of herring from the Mattapoisett River and the Sippican River, as well as many other rivers in Massachusetts, remains in effect. Over the years that the moratorium has been in effect, the herring population in the Mattapoisett River had increased from about 6,000 to just over 55,400 in 2014 then was followed by some years of declining counts. The counting effort will continue and provide the necessary information to manage a future harvest in the Mattapoisett River; however, continued improvements in the counts are needed to support a sustainable fishery plan and to justify an opening. Once the herring population reaches a point where a sustainable harvest plan can be formulated, filed with Division of Marine Fisheries, and approved, harvesting could be resumed.
Before I die I want herring roe one more time. Then I can go in peace and not haunt anyone. Got that off my chest.