Herring: Small But Important

Herring are an important food source for cod, bluefin tuna and striped bass. They're a key species in our regional ecosystem. We hear from citizens who dedicate time to protecting the rivers and ponds these fish spawn in. While Atlantic herring stocks are healthy, populations of river herring are in serious decline due to a combination of factors. Fisherman, scientists and regulators are working together to address one of the factors: reducing the by-catch of river herring in the Atlantic herring fishery. On The Point, Mindy Todd  discusses the issues with David Bethoney of the School for Marine Science and Technology at UMASS Dartmouth and Mary Beth Tooley from the O’Hara Corporation, and member of the New England Fisheries Management Council