MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Connecticut River Alewife and Blueback Herring Migration and Movement Study

MATOS Project Code: CTR2024RH

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: April 2024 - June 2025

Project Description: This study will provide information on Alewife and Blueback Herring movements and migration in the Connecticut River basin from the time of river entry for spawning. Receiver coverage includes the main stem river, many lower tributaries and several coves. We plan to tag 100 of each species in the months of April and May 2024. The V7 tags are programmed for 130 to 230 sec transmit rate that will provide an estimated tag life of 388 days. This will allow among many other objectives, the potential to obtain marine movement data up to and including the potential return of repeat spawners in the following spring.

Objectives:

and 8) compare commercial fishing activity to marine movements in space and time
7) compare and contrast movements, timing in all habitats (in river and marine) between the two spp.
6) Determine adult repeat spawners and their subsequent movements in 2025 and any fidelity
5) Describe post spawn movements for fish that reach Long Island Sound and marine movements
4) Describe the timing, duration, and conclusion of the spawning migration;
3) Determine use of main stem habitat versus cove and tributary habitats
2) Determine factors (environmental, biological) that influence migration and movements;
1) Determine rates, timing and extent of upstream, residency and downstream movements

Management Benefits:

Improve understanding of post spawn and marine movements
Improve understanding of spawning migration and movements in a large river system

Principal Investigator:	Ted Castro-Santos (Mid - Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System)
Email:	tcastrosantos@usgs.gov

Point of Contact:	Ken Sprankle
Email:	Ken_sprankle@fws.gov

Participating Organizations:

U.S.F.W.S. Connecticut River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
U.S.G.S. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment Protection - Fisheries Division

Funding:

USFWS
USGS
CTDEEP

CT River - River Herring Study