Conclusions and Looking Forward

There has been much progress by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), and our partners to further river herring conservation and address data gaps through a coordinated coastwide effort.  This Conservation Plan is intended to increase public awareness about river herring, stimulate cooperative research efforts, and inform efforts to conserve the species through the following goals:  

• Increased coordination with partners through establishment of the TEWG, including six subgroups and one integration committee.
• Funded two projects through a River Herring Conservation Plan Request for Proposals to further information on river herring populations (~$243,659).
• Development of the River Herring Conservation Plan, a dynamic and comprehensive plan for advancing research, coordination, conservation and outreach.  The plan considers the information compiled by the TEWG, and will be further refined based on TEWG and public input.
• NMFS Greater Atlantic Region funded a Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) project to develop a river herring/ Atlantic herring / Atlantic mackerel overlap forecast tool for use by the Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel fisheries to minimize incidental catch of river herring.
• NMFS (through ASMFC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) provided funding to the Atlantic Salmon Federation and St. Croix International Waterway Commission to continue river herring counts at the Milltown Dam fishway in the St. Croix watershed.
• NOAA conducted a coastwide social science survey to document fishermen’s observations of river herring in commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries.
• NOAA selected the Penobscot River in Maine and the Choptank River in Maryland as Habitat Focus Areas designated through NOAA's Habitat Blueprint, targeting financial resources and technical assistance to support habitat conservation and restoration efforts in these high-priority watersheds including removing passage barriers and restoring unimpeded river herring access to vital spawning and rearing habitats. 
• Incorporated information provided by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Pleasant Point, on the cultural importance of river herring to the Tribe into this conservation plan.
• NMFS is developing a life history-based model to inform the setting of quantitative-supported performance standards for survival and passage of American shad and river herring at hydropower projects.
• NOAA and ASMFC are continuing to work with our partners on climate change assessments related to river herring.
• NMFS is working with our partners to: 1) study the long-term benefits of restoring riverine habitat along the Atlantic Coast; and 2) conduct ecosystem research on river herring.
• NMFS will continue on-going habitat conservation and passage restoration efforts.  This will include furthering  work on NOAA Habitat Blueprint and Atlantic Habitat Focus Areas.
• Continued active partnership within the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) by ASMFC and NOAA.

The projects NMFS and ASMFC funded through the River Herring Request for Proposals are important to highlight. Additional information will be shared on the status of these projects as the information is available.

It is important to establish goals to show success in restoring river herring through improving the status of river herring throughout much of its Atlantic coastal range. With more information, these goals can be refined in collaboration with our partners so that we can obtain indicators for restoration (e.g., fish, watershed health) in the future. Progress on the goals to date show a commitment to increase coordination with partners, as well as obtain and improve data collection information on river herring.  

River herring are a critical component on the ecosystem, and serve as an important forage species for key commercial fisheries such as groundfish. Additionally, based on the coastwide range and many threats river herring face, conservation of river herring must be looked at holistically. It is essential to avoid duplication of effort, as well as to make the most use of limited resources. For example, it is important to capitalize on conservation and research efforts for other species  (e.g., shad, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon) that  will also benefit river herring.  

Implementation

NMFS and ASMFC are committed to furthering progress on river herring in collaboration with our partners. We have reviewed the products from the TEWG, public comment, as well as our own science and management needs are committing to the following in 2015:

• Finalize meeting summary from November 2015 River Herring Data Collection Standardization Meeting.  This meeting was convened by ASMFC, with funding from NMFS, with outcomes including the evaluation of current long-term surveys for river herring, and development of recommendations to standardize survey methodologies.  
• NMFS (through ASMFC) will fund Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Service to support portside sampling and biological information collected through portside sampling in the Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries for the 2016 season.
• NMFS will continue work towards the development of a life history-based model that can inform the setting of quantitative-based performance standards for American shad and river herring for hydropower projects.
• Relay progress on funded projects through the ASMFC and NMFS River Herring Request for Proposal.
• NMFS will continue to implement more detailed, science-based and applied research passage monitoring at barrier removals, and anticipates using available funds for critical Tier II monitoring at targeted, high priority fish passage sites in the Northeast region.
• NMFS, in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will continue to develop passage criteria for alewife, blueback herring and other East Coast diadromous fish species in achieving safe, timely and effective passage by these fishes at targeted passage restoration sites.
• NMFS NEFSC will continue its efforts to use environmental data to develop a river herring/ Atlantic herring overlap forecast tool for use by the Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel fisheries to minimize incidental river herring catches.
• NMFS will evaluate the ability of electronic monitoring to verify catch retention on midwater trawl vessels and using state portside data to monitor fishery catch caps, including river herring, in the Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries  during 2016.
• NMFS will continue to work with tribal partners to: 
  • identify areas where collaboration to restore river herring can occur; 
  • identify potential opportunities for funding that may enhance the tribes ability to engage in river herring conservation and management activities; and 
  • engage in formal government to government consultation, as well as informal coordination and communication, in fulfillment of federal trust responsibility. NOAA will continue on-going regulatory actions at hydropower dams in support of improving or maintaining safe, timely and effective migratory pathways.
• NOAA will continue on-going regulatory actions at hydropower dams in support of improving or maintaining safe, timely and effective migratory pathways.
• NOAA and ASMFC will continue to work with our partners on on-going habitat conservation and passage restoration efforts. This will include furthering  work on the NOAA Habitat Blueprint and Atlantic Habitat Focus Areas.
• NOAA is continuing to work with our partners on climate change assessments related to river herring.  
• NOAA will research climate downscaling techniques to improve climate assessments
• NMFS and ASMFC will continue to present to our partners on the River Herring TEWG and Conservation Plan to identify next steps and areas for continued collaboration.
• NEFMC and MAFMC have or are considering including river herring research needs into their research planning processes (i.e., MAFMC Collaborative Research Priorities, NEFMC 2017-2022 Research Priorities, MAFMC Comprehensive Five Year (2016-2020) Research Plan) upon the encouragement of NMFS,
• NMFS will continue to work with our partners to study the long-term benefits of restoring riverine habitat along the Atlantic Coast.
• NMFS will continue to work with our partners to conduct ecosystem research on river herring.

Looking Forward

Although there have been many successes to fill-in data gaps and conserve river herring, numerous challenges remain. NMFS and ASMFC have factored in specific management and science needs to develop research priorities. 

These research needs are intended as a resource for NMFS and ASMFC, as well as partners, including fishery management councils, state agencies, fishery management organizations, non-profit organizations, scientists, academic institutions, and industry. Research can be integrated in management and should inform and improve current and future conservation efforts. These needs and priorities may also assist our partners in the development of proposal ideas when funding opportunities arise. Efforts will continue to increase outreach, both internally and externally, to help leverage funds and increase awareness of priority needs.

This plan will be monitored and evaluated to determine success in achieving the goals. Additionally, the research needs and goals will evolve over time as we continue to learn about river herring.  River herring restoration is not a single agency effort and it will require commitments from all partners, including the TEWG.   

Further discussion with the TEWG is needed to track and monitor progress of conservation actions and research. Additional input from the TEWG and public on this initial conservation plan will also help refine it. The plan will be continuously monitored and modified as necessary.