Shad numbers in Connecticut River lowest in decades

The state fish may be in trouble. A recent count of shad in the Connecticut River indicates shad numbers are the lowest they've been in about 30 years. Department of Environmental biologists say a recent count at a fish passageway at the Holyoke Dame was just under 110,000. Several hundred thousand of the migrating fish would be more typical this time of the year. In 1992 there were about 720,000. "If it's not the lowest, it's darn close," DEP fisheries biologist Thomas Savoy said. "The only caveat is, that it isn't over yet." The count is taken in the spring when the shad are migrating from the sea to spawn. The fish are still moving up the river in small groups and the numbers are expected to rise, but not substantially.

Fisheries experts say there could be various factors for the decline. Among the speculation is increased predation by striped bass. The cold, stormy weather in April and May also may have delayed the shad run. Prized both by anglers and diners, the shad was officially designated the state fish by the General Assembly two years ago. Shad numbers in Connecticut River lowest in decades. 6/11/2005 from NY Newsday