MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Temporal and spatial assessment of alosine spawning in the Piankatank River

MATOS Project Code: VIMSALOSA

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: February 2024 - July 2024

Project Description: River herring, the collective term for alewife and blueback herring, and American Shad were once the most valuable food fishes in Virginia. These species experienced decline in their value to the fisheries resources of Virginia, and as early as the 1970s a significant decline in the stocks of these fishes was noted. The scientific goal of the proposed work is to acoustically tag alosines and successfully track the spawning migration up the Piankatank River. The data objectives of this work are to understand the temporal and spatial movements alosines make during the spawning migration. Movement data will be compared to river flow and temperature to see how physical parameters affect the timing, duration, and location of spawning. This acoustic tracking project will also give us insights into how alosines react to beaver dams, a natural barrier to potential spawning grounds.

Principal Investigator:	Patrick McGrath (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Email:	patm@vims.edu

Point of Contact:	Patrick McGrath
Email:	patm@vims.edu

VIMS Alosa Tagging