Alewives Return to Exeter

 

Exeter, NH - May 28th, 2024: Exeter TV met up with Fish and Game on May 16th, 2024 to learn more about how they're working to understand River Herring migration in the Exeter River. Starting at the site of the former Great Dam downtown, Biologists from NH Fish and Game caught three hundred Herring to take biological samples, measurements, and IDs. This process allows Fish and Game to get an idea about the species composition of the River Herring between Alewives and Blueback, how old the fish are, and how many times they have returned to spawn. After sampling downtown, we headed over to the Pickpocket Dam where they helped pass 149 River Herring up stream. 

The counting efforts this year are being helped by a new volunteer program. Fish and Game trained volunteers in April how to do visual counts downtown. The increased counting will help to give a more accurate look at the numbers of fish making it up the falls downtown. 

Also new to this year's Herring Run is the Conservation Commission's new underwater webcam. Working with Exeter TV, the Conservation Commission installed a small web camera in the Exeter River downtown. The camera can be seen on Exeter TV channel 6 or on the Town website when it's up and running.

Click any thumbnail image to view a slideshow

Fish and Game staff throw a net into the Exeter River to catch fish
Fish and Game staff holds a fish full of river herring
NH Fish and Game holds up an Alewife River Herring above a bucket of water
Fish and Game Staff study river herring by the Exeter River
Staff hold up a Blue Back River Herring
Fish and Game biologist stands inside the fish ladder at the Pickpocket Dam
Fish and Game staff count River Herring as they pass them from the Fish Ladder over the dam into the river blow.
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