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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