American Shad - Shad Populations

Shad Populations

There have been documented declines in the Atlantic coast shad population as early as the turn of the century. Traditionally, shad were caught along with salmon in set nets which were suspended from poles driven into the river bed reasonably close to shore in tidal water. Many of the rivers where shad were once common now suffer from pollution; however, the short length of time spent by shad in fresh water may minimize contamination. For example, shad are harvested from the Hudson River and eaten, as fisheries scientists have found that they are not in the river long enough to be affected by PCBs and other contaminants. Note: Fishing for (including catch and release) or possessing American Shad in the Hudson River or Marine District is prohibited. Such pollution, however, may impact shad reproduction and studies have been undertaken to determine whether fingerlings suffer DNA damage. Most of the rivers across the historic range of shad are now heavily dammed, eliminating much of the spawning grounds. For example, the number of shad harvested in the Merrimack River declined from almost 900,000 in 1789 to 0 in 1888, likely due to the inability to reach their spawning ground following a period of heavy dam construction. In recent years, fish passage efforts have begun to remedy this situation. While recreational angling has almost no measurable impact on shad populations, shad populations are susceptible to commercial overfishing. Because of their highly migratory life history and their recreational and commercial importance, American shad are co-managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and state fisheries agencies. The Atlantic States Marine Fish Commission serves as a key forum for coordinating the collective effort to conserve American shad.

Shad serve a notable symbolic roles in regional politics and culture. On the year of every gubernatorial election, would-be candidates, lobbyists, campaign workers, and reporters gather in the town of Wakefield, Virginia for Shad Planking. Similarly, in Connecticut, the towns of Essex and Windsor hold annual shad festivals.

American Shad were introduced into the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento River system in California in the 1800s. Shad have spread throughout many river systems on the West Coast of North America. There is currently a large shad population in the Columbia River. In recent years, shad counts at Bonneville and The Dalles Dams have ranged from over two million to over five million fish per year. Spawning shad return to the Columbia in May and June and migrate above Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River and above Priest Rapids Dam on the Upper Columbia. Unlike many introduced species, it has not been confirmed that American Shad have serious negative effects on the environment or other native fish species in the Columbia.