2015 Alewife Count

Reports for 2015 are listed below, in chronological order

FIRST REPORT

This is the first St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending May 9.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. Between April 30 and May 2, only one fish, a brook trout, was recorded in the trap. This is consistent with previous data. Warmer, sunny weather has lowered water levels and reduced flow through the spillway this week, and we anticipate larger counts as the weather and water continue to warm.

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To May 9     # river herring   
2014                   0
2013                   342
2012                   993
2011                   0
2010                  0
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 236

OTHER FISH

Six white suckers and one brook trout were also recorded in the trap this week.   These presumably dropped below the dam via gates or spillways into brackish water and came back up the fishway to the river. 
 


SECOND REPORT

This is the second St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending May 16.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To May 16     # river herring   
2015                   16
2014                    7
2013                   362
2012                   343
2011                   1657
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 370

OTHER FISH

Thirteen white suckers and one brook trout were also recorded in the trap to date. 


THIRD REPORT

This is the third St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending May 23.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To May 23     # river herring   
2015                   142
2014                    16
2013                   178
2012                   22260
2011                   13053
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 5638

OTHER FISH

Thirteen white suckers and one brook trout were also recorded in the trap to date. 


FOURTH REPORT

This is the fourth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending May 30.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A group of engineers and scientists from a number of US and Canadian organizations met on May 28 to discuss issues around attraction at the Milltown fish passage and made adjustments to the bottom of the passage. These adjustments coincided with the arrival of a large number of alewife and several days of warm weather. Since May 27, 32,647 alewife have been counted.

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To May 30     # river herring   
2015                   32,799
2014                    52
2013                   11,424
2012                   34,786
2011                   15,937
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 11,748

OTHER FISH

Nineteen white suckers, 17 smallmouth bass and two brook trout were also recorded in the trap to date. 


FIFTH REPORT

This is the fifth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending June 6.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To June 6     # river herring   
2015                   49,654
2014                   20,023
2013                   16,531
2012                   35,961
2011                   23,687
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 17,966

OTHER FISH

Twenty-two white suckers, 18 smallmouth bass and 3 brook trout were also recorded in the trap to date. 


SIXTH REPORT

This is the sixth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending June 13.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To June 13     # river herring   
2015                   76,801
2014                   26,798
2013                   16,568
2012                   36,158
2011                   25,074
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 20,111

The 2015 run is the largest recorded run at Milltown since 1998 (177,317.)

OTHER FISH

Twenty-three white suckers, 22 smallmouth bass and 4 brook trout were also recorded in the trap to date.  

American Shad


During this week, SCIWC biologists noted and passed four american shad upstream, the first of this species reported at Milltown since 1999.  Historically, the St. Croix supported a large American shad run but this declined significantly in the 1800s and only four shad have been documented at Milltown since 1993.  Shad are anadromous fish that enter freshwater to spawn, generally in June in this location, when river water temperatures reach 16-19 C (the St. Croix is currently at 19 C). 


SEVENTH REPORT

This is the seventh St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending June 20.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To June 20     # river herring   
2015                   88,672
2014                   26,893
2013                   16,651
2012                   36,168
2011                   25,124
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 21,053

 

The 2015 run is the largest recorded run at Milltown since 1998 (177,317.)

OTHER FISH

Twenty-three white suckers, 27 smallmouth bass, 7 brook trout, 1 eel, 8 american shad, and 1 lamprey were also recorded in the trap to date. 


EIGHTH REPORT

This is the eighth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending June 27.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To June 27     # river herring   
2015                   92,482
2014                   27,036
2013                   16,674
2012                   36,168
2011                   25,134
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 21,119

 

The 2015 run is the largest recorded run at Milltown since 1998 (177,317.)

OTHER FISH

Twenty six white suckers, 28 smallmouth bass, 9 brook trout, 1 eel, 11 american shad, and 1 lamprey were also recorded in the trap to date. 


NINTH REPORT

This is the ninth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending July 4.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To July 4     # river herring   
2015                  93,298
2014                   27,303
2013                   16,677
2012                   36,168
2011                   25,141
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 21,152

 

The 2015 run is the largest recorded run at Milltown since 1998 (177,317.)

OTHER FISH

Twenty seven white suckers, 29 smallmouth bass, 9 brook trout, 1 eel, 11 american shad, 1 lamprey, and 1 common shiner were also recorded in the trap to date.  


TENTH REPORT

This is the tenth St. Croix River anadromous fisheries report for 2015, covering fish counts at the Milltown (head-of-tide) fishway for the seven-day period ending July 11.  

RIVER HERRING

The Milltown research trap is operated for an 8-10 week period each year to record the run of alewives (or gaspereau) and closely-related blueback herring, these collectively called river herring.  Other fish entering the trap are also recorded.

The trap was activated on April 30, 2015 and is being operated in 2015 by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. 

A comparison of alewife/blueback herring returns to this date with other recent years:
To July 4     # river herring   
2015                  93,470
2014                   27,312
2013                   16,677
2012                   36,168
2011                   25,142
Ten year (2005-2014) average to this date: 21,154

 

The 2015 run is the largest recorded run at Milltown since 1998 (177,317.)

OTHER FISH

Twenty seven white suckers, 29 smallmouth bass, 9 brook trout, 2 eels, 11 american shad, 1 lamprey, and 2 common shiner were also recorded in the trap to date. 

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