Thursday March 26, 2026
MIT News —
Each spring, river herring populations migrate from Massachusetts coastal waters to begin their annual journey up rivers and streams to freshwater spawning habitat. River herring have faced severe population declines over the past several decades, and their migration is extensively monitored across the region, primarily through traditional visual counting and volunteer-based programs.
Monitoring fish movement and understanding population dynamics are essential for informing conservation efforts and supporting fisheries management. With the annual herring run getting underway this month, researchers and resource managers once again take on the challenge of counting and estimating the migrating fish population as accurately as possible.