Coastal Conversations: The River Herring Network

Coastal Conversations Show: October 25, 2024

Host: Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant

This Episode

Every spring streams, rivers, and ponds around Maine shimmer with thousands of silver fish. These little fish, called river herring or alewives, spend most of their lives offshore but “run” back to the streams and ponds where they hatched to reproduce. This is Natalie Springuel from Maine Sea Grant, host of this episode of Coastal Conversations. On our next program we are talking about river herring and the people that help these fish make it up stream. We are joined by Emily Farr and Sophie Chivers from the Gulf of Maine River Herring Network and Bucket Davis and Rusty Taylor, two fishermen who have dedicated immense amounts of time to taking care of these fish in their communities. We’ll talk about  the work that they do, the challenges the fish face, and how you can help! So make a note to tune in on October, 25th at 4 PM when this month’s Coastal Conversation is about river herring and the folks that look after them. Only on WERU community radio, 89.9 FM in Blue Hill and online at WERU.org.Coastal Conversations is supported by Maine Sea Grant in partnership with Schoodic Institute and The First Coast.

Bucket Davis and a student dip net for fish in East Machias, Maine as part of the town’s educational harvest program. The students harvest and smoke alewives to share with the community.

River herring harvest on Wight’s pond off of the Bagaduce River in Penobscot, Maine.

Students from East Machias, ME pour harvested alewives into a pickling or brining tub prior to smoking.

Dip netting for river herring on Wight’s pond off of the Bagaduce River in Penobscot, Maine.

Emily Farr counting alewives at Highland Lake in Westbrook Maine.

Rusty Taylor, working with local students by the brook.

Bucket Davis’ class from East Machias, ME

Students from East Machias, ME arrange brined and cleaned alewives on sticks in the smokehouse.

Guests

Kenneth (Bucket) Davis is from East Machias, Maine. He is a state representative, a town selectman, former commercial harvester, volunteer, and teacher.

Rustin (Rusty) Taylor is from Somesville, Maine. He is a commercial harvester and field assistant with the Somes Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary.

Emily Farr is the Senior Fisheries Program Manager at Manomet and co-facilitates the Gulf of Maine River Herring Network.

Sophie Chivers is a recent graduate of College of the Atlantic where she first learned about river herring. She is currently an intern with the GOM RHN working on a project exploring river herring stewardship across the state of Maine.

For more information

Gulf of Maine River Herring Network Website: https://www.gomriverherringnetwork.org

Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant

Marine Extension Program Lead

Listen to the show on WERU archives

More information about Coastal Conversations Radio Program