Watersports blog

In an effort to prevent the extinction of shad and herring, two of three affected fish species along the Delaware, an environment agency in New Jersey is now pushing for the limitation of fishing in the area.

The Department of Environment Protection’s (DEP) Fish and Game Council officials are now pushing for the maximum limit of 10 alewife and blueback herring to be caught every day. The limit on American shad will be from six to three. The rules will undergo public hearing on September 8, 2009 at Robbinsville.

Lewis Fishery personnel Steve Meserve said that the plan sounds feasible because shad and herring are starting to disappear in the rivers as massive fishing has been taking place in the area.

Meserve’s company monitors the health of the river. He revealed that the last few years saw a drastic decline of the aforementioned species in the river.

In the early 50’s, the shad also was in danger of extinction but the numbers rebounded as massive efforts such as river cleanups were conducted at that time. This could be an option that the officials may consider in order to save the species once more.