Fish monitors wanted as herring spawning season approaches

Alewife Herring. Photo Courtesy of NOAA.

BARNSTABLE – Scientists are looking for volunteers to count fish as spawning season approaches.

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod is recruiting for the river herring season from Orleans to Sandwich, offering an opportunity to witness the annual spring migration while contributing to science.

The fish sustain the Cape’s osprey, seal and dolphin populations.

They ask volunteers to do 10-minute visual counts of fish a few times a week beginning in April.

The volunteers will record their findings to the Association’s online data collection portal. 

The herring runs in need of monitors include:

• Stony Brook (Brewster) 
• Trunk River (Falmouth) 
• Mashpee River (Mashpee) 
• Pilgrim Lake (Orleans) 
• Mill Creek (Sandwich) 
• Red Lily Pond (Centerville) 
• Long Pond (Yarmouth) 
• Baxter Grist Mill (Yarmouth) 

The full list of monitored runs can be found here. 

The volunteer sign up form can be found here.