Count motto: Counts observing 0 river herring are still important data! And still a pleasant 10 minutes spent watching the river flow.
UPDATE for 2021 season: Please observe pandemic safety precautions. Currently that means maintaining at a safe 6 ft distance from others and wearing a face covering. Wait until other counters finish before approaching for your count. Please also avoid the Atria Senior Living property on the west side of the river until all residents and staff have an opportunity to be vaccinated. Until then, they remain vulnerable and are probably nervous about potential exposure. No need to add to their anxiety. There is plenty of parking at Shawsheen Plaza.
Click here to access a data-entry form for your count.
UPDATE for 2021 season: Please observe pandemic safety precautions. Currently that means maintaining at a safe 6 ft distance from others and wearing a face covering. Wait until other counters finish before approaching for your count. Please also avoid the Atria Senior Living property on the west side of the river until all residents and staff have an opportunity to be vaccinated. Until then, they remain vulnerable and are probably nervous about potential exposure. No need to add to their anxiety. There is plenty of parking at Shawsheen Plaza.
Click here to access a data-entry form for your count.
River herring count program
We are seeking volunteers to WATCH THE RIVER FOR JUST 10 MINUTES and record the number of river herring that you see. Our goal is to have at least 9 10-minute counts a day, ideally 3 each in the morning, around lunchtime, and late afternoon. PLEASE STOP BY ANYTIME YOU CAN, EVEN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. In past years, it was rare that we reached our 9-count daily minimum.
When to count: Please stop by anytime after the middle of April. We expect the river herring spawners to arrive near the end of April, earlier if we get a warm spring. As soon as one of our volunteers sees the first fish of the season, we'll send out an announcement so you'll know they've arrived (email Jon Honea if you want to be added to the volunteer email list). The run usually lasts 2–3 weeks following the first sighting, depending on the weather and unknown factors.
How to count: Go to the pedestrian bridge across the river, linking Atria Senior Living and Powder Mill Square. If you are driving, please park at Shawsheen Plaza and cross Main Street with the pedestrian signal at the traffic light. You'll know you're at the right bridge if you look over the downstream side and see metal plates anchored to the streambed to provide contrast so we can actually see the fish. Use this link to enter your 10-minute observation data into your smartphone. There's also a photo there of river herring so you'll know what you're looking for.
Click here for a 30-minute presentation covering the dam removals and volunteer river herring count program.
Brief History
River herring are coming back to the Shawsheen River from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn again now that two dams blocking them from their historical home were removed in the winter of 2016-2017. We have been documenting their return by counting them as they swim upstream to spawn from late April until the end of May. Please join us as we welcome these native fish back to the Shawsheen River!
When to count: Please stop by anytime after the middle of April. We expect the river herring spawners to arrive near the end of April, earlier if we get a warm spring. As soon as one of our volunteers sees the first fish of the season, we'll send out an announcement so you'll know they've arrived (email Jon Honea if you want to be added to the volunteer email list). The run usually lasts 2–3 weeks following the first sighting, depending on the weather and unknown factors.
How to count: Go to the pedestrian bridge across the river, linking Atria Senior Living and Powder Mill Square. If you are driving, please park at Shawsheen Plaza and cross Main Street with the pedestrian signal at the traffic light. You'll know you're at the right bridge if you look over the downstream side and see metal plates anchored to the streambed to provide contrast so we can actually see the fish. Use this link to enter your 10-minute observation data into your smartphone. There's also a photo there of river herring so you'll know what you're looking for.
Click here for a 30-minute presentation covering the dam removals and volunteer river herring count program.
Brief History
River herring are coming back to the Shawsheen River from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn again now that two dams blocking them from their historical home were removed in the winter of 2016-2017. We have been documenting their return by counting them as they swim upstream to spawn from late April until the end of May. Please join us as we welcome these native fish back to the Shawsheen River!
Starting Location
Volunteers will watch the river from the foot bridge over the Shawsheen River between Atria Senior Living (15 Stevens St) and Powder Mill Square (14 Powder Mill Square) in Andover. Please park at Shawsheen Plaza and cross Main Street at the traffic light with the pedestrian signal.
Volunteers will watch the river from the foot bridge over the Shawsheen River between Atria Senior Living (15 Stevens St) and Powder Mill Square (14 Powder Mill Square) in Andover. Please park at Shawsheen Plaza and cross Main Street at the traffic light with the pedestrian signal.
If you have any questions, please contact Jon Honea.
