Almost every town in Massachusetts has a Herring River or a Herring Pond. The migration of river herring from sea to coastal streams and ponds once marked an important rite of spring for New Englanders. For centuries, the small, oily fish were valued as both bait and an important food source. But today, taking river herring is illegal in Massachusetts because populations are so low.
This week on the Local Food Report, Elspeth Hay learns about what led one Cape Cod town to dike its Herring River—and how it hopes to bring back both the health of the river, and the fish it was named for.
You can read more about this story and see more historic pictures on Elspeth's blog, Diary of a Locavore.
This story is a rebroadcast. It originally aired in April, 2014.
